Pakistan CDF Asim Munir arrives in Iran amid race for peace
Washington DC, May 23
Iran's Consulate General in Mazar-e-Sharif announced that Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei highlighted fundamental disagreements between both sides and reiterated the same position of the 14-point plan it provided to the US earlier.
"The reason we don't talk about the details of nuclear-related discussions is clear. We have done this twice, and the other party's greed led us into war. We cannot ignore this experience," said Baghaei, as quoted by Al Jazeera.
"Regarding nuclear issues, the matter is very clear - we are a member of the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] and we have the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," he added.
Baghaei said that peace negotiations with the US are not "close", and it's difficult to say if a deal will be reached "over weeks or months". He said that the chasm between both nations is "deep and significant," as quoted by Al Jazeera.
"We cannot necessarily say that we have reached a point where an agreement is close," he said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. "The focus of the negotiations is on ending the war. Details related to the nuclear issue are not being discussed at this stage."
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump had said, "Iran is dying to make a deal. We will see what happens, but we hit them hard and we had no choice because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. They cannot have it. So I promised to cut 10 old regulations, as you know, in my first term for every new regulation."
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he engaged in consultations with NATO allies regarding potential contingencies associated with restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Addressing journalists at the ministerial summit in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rubio emphasised the necessity of operational readiness, remarking, "We have to have a plan B for if someone is shooting" in the critical maritime choke point.
"At some point, ideally, they open the strait," Rubio observed in reference to Iran, before cautioning, "Plan B needs to be, what if Iran says, 'No, we refuse to open the Strait?'"
— ANI
Reader Comments
The US keeps talking about Iran wanting a deal, but their actions show a different story. Trump's "hitting them hard" line and Rubio's "plan B" with NATO just escalates things. Meanwhile, Pakistan is actually trying to build bridges. Typical US double standards - they want peace but keep threatening military action.
As an Indian, I'm always skeptical when Pakistan gets involved in regional diplomacy. But honestly, the Strait of Hormuz issue affects all of us - India imports a lot of oil from that region. If Iran closes the strait, our fuel prices will skyrocket. So maybe it's good someone is talking to them.
Iran saying negotiations aren't "close" while US claims Iran is "dying for a deal" - someone is clearly bluffing here. The nuclear issue is just a smokescreen; the real fight is about regional influence and oil routes. Pakistan's move is smart - they're positioning themselves as mediators while America and Iran dig their heels in.
Interesting timing for Munir's visit. Iran is clearly leveraging Pakistan as a backchannel while maintaining their hardline stance publicly. But let's be real - Pakistan has its own credibility issues in the region. India needs to ensure this doesn't undermine our own diplomatic efforts with Iran and Afghanistan.
Everyone talking about big powers and geopolitics, but what about the common people? 😐 Iran's nuclear program has been a bargaining chip for decades. The real tragedy is how ordinary citizens bear the brunt of sanctions while leaders play chess with their futures. Pakistan's involvement might bring some sanity, but I'm
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