Islamabad, April 25, (dpa/GNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, met Pakistani army chief Asim Munir in Islamabad on Saturday amid renewed efforts to end the conflict in the Middle East, state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Araghchi later also spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from his office.
The Iranian foreign minister landed in Islamabad late on Friday night. He was set to “discuss the latest regional developments as well as ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in an earlier statement.
Pakistani security sources said Araghchi came with a response to US proposals, conveyed during Munir’s three-day visit to Tehran last week.
Pakistan, which has been mediating between the two sides, earlier this month hosted Iranian and US delegations, including US Vice President JD Vance, for a first round of direct talks, aimed at ending the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28.
On Friday, the White House said US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner would be travelling to Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials, but it remained unclear whether they would meet with Araghchi after Iran ruled out direct negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said no meeting with the US side has been planned so far.
As accounts differ on both sides, it was not clear whether the conflict parties would exchange messages through Pakistani mediators or engage in direct negotiations after all.
Washington has signalled it is ready to hold a new round of talks with Iranian negotiators, after the historic direct meeting between the two sides held in Islamabad earlier this month failed to produce results.
Iran, however, has so far rejected holding a second round of talks, amid persisting tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and other key issues.
GNA