Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Saturday, as Pakistan intensified efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington amid a fragile ceasefire and renewed diplomatic activity.

According to officials, the high-level meeting included Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and National Security Adviser Asim Malik on the Pakistani side, while the Iranian delegation comprised Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei.

Araghchi, on his first official engagement since arriving in Islamabad late Friday, is also expected to hold separate talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. His visit comes as part of a broader regional tour that includes Oman and Russia.

The Iranian foreign minister is carrying Tehran’s formal response to proposals earlier conveyed by the United States through Pakistan, officials said, signalling a possible step forward in stalled negotiations. However, Iranian officials clarified that no direct meeting with US representatives is currently planned, with Pakistan continuing to serve as the intermediary.

Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner are travelling to Pakistan for a potential second round of talks with Iranian representatives. The move follows an initial round of negotiations in Islamabad earlier this month, which lasted over 20 hours but ended without a breakthrough.

The current diplomatic push unfolds against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire, first brokered in early April and extended without a clear timeline. While the truce has held on paper, key disputes remain unresolved, particularly over the sequencing of sanctions relief, nuclear restrictions and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tensions escalated after Iran blocked the strategic waterway following US and Israeli strikes in February, prompting Washington to impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Although Tehran briefly reopened the strait, it subsequently closed it again in response to the US measures, which it described as an act of war.

Despite these challenges, Pakistani officials described the situation as fluid, with ongoing backchannel exchanges aimed at bridging gaps between the two sides. US officials have indicated cautious optimism, citing recent signals of flexibility from Tehran ahead of the anticipated talks.

© Naya Daur