Pakistan’s army chief in Iran as US’s Rubio says ‘slight progress’ in talks

Pakistan’s Asim Munir is in Tehran as part of mediation efforts, as EU moves to sanction Iran over the Hormuz blockade.Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is in Iran as part of ongoing mediation efforts to end Israel and the United States’s war that began on February 28.Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported, citing the Pakistan Army.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Can Venezuelan oil save India amid the Hormuz energy crisis?list 2 of 4Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile: Can it be safely transferred?list 3 of 4Marco Rubio visits India: What’s at stake with Trump-Modi ties strained?list 4 of 4Economic confidence plummets in US amid Iran war, poll showsend of list“On arrival, he was received and warmly welcomed by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni,” IRNA said, adding that “Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also present at the reception.”It is the second such trip to Tehran by Munir amid Pakistani mediation efforts to end the war.Islamabad helped secure a temporary ceasefire between the warring sides on April 8, and later hosted the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 on April 11-12.During this visit to Iran, unnamed Pakistani sources told the Anadolu news agency that Munir will discuss Iran-US talks, regional peace and stability, and other “important issues”.Islamabad has intensified its mediation process to secure a second round of direct talks between the two sides.“The current process and the presence of senior Pakistani officials in Tehran means that we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ⁠Baghaei said on Friday.Iranian state media quoted Baghaei as saying the gaps between Tehran and Washington are “deep and significant”.“We cannot necessarily say that we have reached a point where an agreement is close,” he said. “The focus of the negotiations is on ending the war. Details related to the nuclear issue are not being discussed at this stage.”Speaking at the White House on Friday, US President Donald Trump said, “Iran is dying to make a deal”.