Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni made a trip to Pakistan on Tuesday with a “high-level delegation” to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his defense chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The Pakistanis are apparently hoping to restart talks between the U.S. and Iran as hostilities continued for the tenth straight day.
Momeni wrote on social media that he met with Sharif at his official residence, but offered few details of the discussion, beyond general pleasantries and commiseration over the funeral of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which Sharif attended in Tehran.
“The Prime Minister shared his deep concern over the recent escalation in the Gulf region and urged all sides to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could further destabilize the region,” Sharif’s office said of the meeting.
“While emphasizing that Pakistan would continue to play its role as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to regional peace and stability,” the statement said.
Momeni said upon arriving in Pakistan on Monday night that he planned to discuss economic cooperation and expanded bilateral trade across their shared 560-mile border.
Pakistan has intensified its efforts to get Iran and the U.S. back to the negotiating table, and may well have been the unnamed “mediator” who reportedly suggested a ten-day ceasefire to Iran on Monday. Field Marshal Munir has been leading Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, as he enjoys a good public relationship with President Donald Trump.
Two unnamed officials told the Associated Press (AP) on Tuesday that Momeni had a closed-door meeting with Munir before speaking with Prime Minister Sharif.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the Iranians “want to desperately meet because they’re getting decimated.”
“They want to desperately meet, and until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest,” he said.
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