Arabic version: الجيش الباكستاني يرى أملاً في الوساطة بين الولايات المتحدة وإيران
According to Al Jazeera, Pakistan’s army is “cautiously optimistic” about efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States and revive a ceasefire in the eight-month-old war. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military spokesman, said on Friday that there were positive signs in attempts to de-escalate the conflict.
Chaudhry’s comments were the first since a high-level delegation visited Tehran this week. Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, described as Pakistan’s chief mediator, has travelled to Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday alongside Saudi and Turkish officials. Asked whether the visits were a positive sign, Chaudhry said: “Why would the Field Marshal be going twice if it is not for some positivity? So yes, of course.”
Speaking in Rawalpindi, Chaudhry declined to discuss what was raised in Tehran or whether the United States supported the trip. He said there remained “powerful spoilers and detractors” who believed conflict served them, without identifying them. His remarks came as Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran in an apparent effort to negotiate a revival of the June ceasefire, which later collapsed.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin joined Munir in Tehran on Monday. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, saying an attack on one signatory would be treated as an attack on all. Chaudhry said the pact’s wording did not prevent new members from joining, adding that any country sharing a vision of collective deterrence and regional peace was welcome, though a decision would rest with the political leadership of the three principal parties.
Chaudhry also said any additional deployment of Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia would depend on circumstances and decisions by both countries’ political leadership. He said Pakistan was committed to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, while stressing that Pakistan was not part of Yemen’s intra-Yemen conflict.
