Pakistan army chief visits Tehran twice as peace talks continue

Pakistan’s military leadership expressed cautious optimism on Friday about its mediation efforts between Iran and the United States. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations, gave this assessment in his first interview since a high-level delegation traveled to Tehran earlier in the week.

Field Marshal Asim Munir, the country’s army chief, has visited the Iranian capital twice in October. His most recent trip occurred on Monday, when he was joined by Saudi and Turkish officials. Chaudhry suggested that the frequency of these visits indicated a positive trajectory. He asked rhetorically why the field marshal would travel twice if the outlook were not improving. He confirmed that the military’s current stance is one of cautious optimism.

The mediation effort is taking place against the backdrop of an eight-month conflict between Iran and the United States. Chaudhry acknowledged that powerful spoilers and detractors remain in the region. He noted that these groups believe the conflict serves their interests, though he did not name them specifically. He declined to reveal the specific topics discussed in Tehran or whether the United States had formally backed the visit.

The presence of Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin in Tehran highlights the collaborative nature of the talks. These three nations signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. The pact states that an attack on one signatory is considered an attack on all. Chaudhry said the agreement’s wording does not prevent new countries from joining. He stated that anyone sharing a vision of collective deterrence and regional peace is welcome, though the decision rests with the political leaders of the three original parties.

Munir’s team also addressed questions about troop deployment. Chaudhry said that sending more Pakistani forces to Saudi Arabia depends on the evolving situation and decisions made by both countries’ political leadership. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy sites of Mecca and Medina. He clarified that Pakistan is not part of the intra-Yemen conflict, despite fighting between Saudi forces and Iran-aligned Houthis reigniting in the region.

Back in Pakistan, the military is increasing intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The federal government suspended the provincial government on October 11 and detained Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The administration accused the province of failing to tackle militancy, a claim the local party rejected. Chaudhry said the army is not launching larger military-led campaigns but is instead accelerating the tempo of its intelligence-based operations.

The political landscape in the province is complicated by the detention of former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been in jail since 2023. His party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, controls the province and won the most directly elected seats in the February 2024 national election. Khan’s supporters believe the military is behind his imprisonment and the dismantling of his party, a view the army denies.