New York : A fresh diplomatic push between the United States and Iran has run into turbulence, with Pakistan army chief and Donald Trump’s “favourite field marshal” Asim Munir stepping in to flag. Asim Munir spoke to President Donald Trump over the phone and warned that the US blockade of Iranian ports was a “hurdle to second round of peace talks in Islamabad,” news agency Reuters reported citing Pakistani security sources.
The call came at a fragile moment. Hopes for a follow-up round of negotiations between the US and Iran in Islamabad have dimmed after Tehran indicated it would not participate, dealing a setback to efforts aimed at extending a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict now nearing two months. Munir’s outreach followed his recent three-day visit to Tehran, where he met senior Iranian leadership, including the President, foreign minister and top military officials, in what Pakistan described as an effort to push for de-escalation.
Tensions escalated over the weekend after the US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel it accused of attempting to bypass its port blockade. Tehran’s military warned of retaliation, while Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart that US actions against Iranian shipping signalled bad faith ahead of the proposed talks. At a high-level meeting, Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref criticised Washington’s approach as inconsistent, accusing it of pushing for negotiations under pressure while simultaneously escalating its posture.
The White House said Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of marathon talks last week, was preparing to travel to Islamabad along with other senior officials. Pakistan had already tightened security in the capital in anticipation of the meeting, which now appears unlikely. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump threatened to destroy civilian infrastructure in Iran if it did not accept the US proposal. He said the United States would “knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge” in Iran.
Read Also : Namita Thapar Hits Back at Trolls Over Namaz Health Benefits Reel, Invokes Karma in Strong Video Response
-
-
-
-
