Pakistan’s top military and civilian leadership is intensifying diplomatic efforts to salvage the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, with Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir scheduled to meet Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday.
🚨BREAKING: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf meets Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir in Tehran. pic.twitter.com/u6hGW7uq7V
— The Daily CPEC (@TheDailyCPEC) April 16, 2026
The visit comes as mediators race against time to extend the two-week truce — now past its halfway mark — before it expires next week. The ceasefire, announced last week after six weeks of devastating war, has so far held, but tensions remain high due to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
According to Pakistani officials, the meeting in Tehran aims to build on last weekend’s marathon talks in Islamabad and keep communication channels open. Islamabad has positioned itself as a key facilitator, leveraging its relations with both Washington and Tehran.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that further talks could resume soon, possibly in Islamabad, and credited Field Marshal Asim Munir for doing “a great job” in moderating the process. Trump also claimed China has agreed not to supply weapons to Iran and expressed optimism about a meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing next month.
Iran, meanwhile, has signalled openness to continued dialogue but insists on a permanent end to hostilities rather than temporary arrangements. Iranian officials have warned that the US blockade violates the ceasefire and could trigger retaliation.
The conflict, which began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has killed thousands — including over 3,000 in Iran, more than 2,100 in Lebanon, and dozens elsewhere — and severely disrupted global energy markets through the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan has played a central role throughout the crisis, hosting direct US-Iran talks, coordinating with China on a five-point peace initiative, and engaging regional players such as Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, currently in Qatar as part of regional consultations, has reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to sustaining momentum for peace.
With the ceasefire deadline approaching and multiple sticking points — including Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, and the status of the Strait of Hormuz — still unresolved, the coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomacy can prevent a return to open conflict.
