Iranian officials meet with Pakistani army chief Munir over mediation efforts

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed mediation efforts and regional developments during a meeting with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in Tehran, Iran’s Nournews reported on Tuesday.

Pakistan is a key mediator between the US and Iran. Its earlier mediation efforts with both sides led to an interim peace agreement signed in June. But the Islamabad Memorandum quickly faltered, amid new fighting between Iran and the US weeks after.

Munir also met Iranian parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf. The Iranian official said Washington can’t earn Tehran’s trust until it meets the seven conditions Iran set last month to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to an Iranian readout of the meeting.

In addition, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei told Munir at the meeting that all Iranian enriched nuclear materials will remain in the country, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

Rezaei further told Munir that Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.

Iran’s conditions include, among other demands, the lifting of the US blockade on its ports, ‌the lifting of US sanctions on its oil exports, as well as ending hostilities on all regional fronts.

Munir’s first meeting on Tuesday was with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

James Genn contributed to this report.