At a time when Pakistan is in focus in the context of sensitive diplomatic engagements between Iran and the US, a familiar question has come into focus: Who is spearheading the mediation in Islamabad?
Former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has offered an insight, stating clearly that it is Field Marshal Asim Munir who is “leading Pakistan” and that the decision-making lies with him.
Is it Sharif or Munir?
On being asked who is heading the US-Iran mediation talks during an ANI interview, Chaudhry said, “Frankly, there is no two opinions about that. Right now, Pakistan is led by General Asim Munir. He is the de facto leader of Pakistan. The decision-making right now is with the Field Marshal or CDF… Even yesterday, President Trump actually named General Asim Munir as the Leader of Pakistan, and he has not even bothered to talk about Shehbaz Sharif…”
Second round of talks likely?
A Pakistani delegation is on its way to Iran to convey a message from the United States, Iran’s state media reported on Wednesday.
Also read | Pak delegation heads to Iran with US message
The delegation might also plan for a second round of talks between both countries, Reuters news agency cited the state media as reporting. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei had also, earlier today during a weekly press briefing, confirmed that Tehran was “very likely to receive a Pakistani delegation” as a continuation of discussions in Islamabad.
US-Iran talks in Pakistan’s Islamabad over the weekend had failed to produce any decisive outcome.
“Since Sunday, when the Iranian delegation returned to Tehran, several messages have been exchanged through Pakistan,” AFP cited Baqaei as saying. Baqaei also said some of the US demands during the talks were “unreasonable and unrealistic”, without elaborating further.
United States President Donald Trump had also hinted that peace talks with Tehran could resume this week. This comes even as the US military put up a naval blockade which it said had cut off maritime trade with Iran. Trump told the New York Post on Tuesday that a fresh round of dialogue with Iran in Pakistan was imminent “over the next two days.”
