Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Staff, has arrived in Tehran, Iran’s Consulate General in Mazar-e-Sharif announced. The visit comes amid increased diplomatic activity as global and regional actors press for a negotiated end to the current crisis.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei reiterated significant differences with the United States and referenced a 14-point plan Tehran previously presented to Washington. Baghaei said Iran is avoiding public discussion of nuclear-related details because of past experience: “We have done this twice, and the other party’s greed led us into war. We cannot ignore this experience.” He stressed that Iran, as a party to the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has the right to pursue nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
In social posts and public remarks, Baghaei also blamed the current regional crisis on the United States’ 2018 withdrawal from the JCPOA, saying the move made the conflict avoidable and deepened mistrust. He cautioned that negotiations with the US are not close and that it is difficult to predict whether a deal might be reached “over weeks or months.” According to Baghaei, the primary focus of talks is ending the war; detailed nuclear matters are not being negotiated at this stage.
Separately, US President Donald Trump said Iran “is dying to make a deal” and reiterated that Tehran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists at a ministerial summit in Helsingborg, Sweden, that he has consulted NATO allies on contingencies to restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the need for operational readiness if Iran refuses to reopen the waterway.
(This report is sourced from a syndicated feed and published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.)
