Pakistan remains “cautiously optimistic” about its diplomatic efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States, military spokesman Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday, following a series of high-level visits to Tehran.
Speaking in his first interview since a Pakistani delegation travelled to Iran earlier this week, the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) suggested that the repeated diplomatic engagements reflected encouraging developments.
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir has visited Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday alongside senior Saudi and Turkish officials.
“Why would the Field Marshal be going twice if it is not for some positivity? So yes, of course,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said when asked whether the visits indicated progress.
“The word that we would use is always cautiously optimistic,” he added.
However, the military spokesman warned that “powerful spoilers and detractors” remained opposed to diplomatic progress because they believed continued conflict served their interests. He did not identify those he was referring to.
Lt Gen Chaudhry declined to disclose details of the discussions in Tehran or confirm whether Washington had endorsed the latest diplomatic mission.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin accompanied Field Marshal Munir during Monday’s visit.
The meeting marked the first high-level engagement between Iran and representatives of all members of the Makkah Defence Alliance since Saudi Arabia became more deeply involved in the conflict.
The alliance, established through an agreement signed on August 7, includes Saudi Arabia and Türkiye and provides that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts come amid growing concerns that the US-Iran conflict could trigger a wider regional confrontation, with diplomatic initiatives increasingly focused on preventing further escalation and securing a negotiated settlement.