TEHRAN — A high-level Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met with Iranian officials in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss messages aimed at arranging a potential second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, Pakistani and Iranian officials said.
The delegation, which included Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, arrived in the Iranian capital as part of Pakistan’s continued mediation efforts following the breakdown of direct U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad. The meetings focused on coordinating positions ahead of the scheduled expiry of a two-week ceasefire next week, according to statements from both sides.
The ceasefire, effective from April 8 and brokered with Pakistani assistance, halted direct hostilities after the escalation of the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on Feb. 28. High-level face-to-face negotiations between U.S. and Iranian delegations took place in Islamabad over the weekend of April 11-12. Those talks, which lasted more than 20 hours and marked the first direct high-level meetings between the two sides in more than a decade, ended without agreement, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a neutral facilitator in the process. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other officials have engaged regional partners to support de-escalation efforts. On Wednesday, Munir held discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.
Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s finance minister, told reporters that “our leadership is not giving up” on efforts to help end the conflict. Iranian state media reported that the preliminary meeting addressed recent exchanges between Iran and the U.S.
President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the situation in comments aired on Wednesday, stating that the conflict was “very close to being over” and that Iran “wants to make a deal very badly.” The White House has signaled openness to further talks, potentially hosted again by Pakistan, though no new round has been formally scheduled.
The U.S. has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports during the ceasefire period. No immediate violations of the truce were reported on Wednesday.
Details of any potential extension of the ceasefire or the format of future discussions remain unclear. Iranian officials have stressed the need for the U.S. to demonstrate seriousness in any commitments, while Pakistani authorities have emphasized the narrow window before the current truce expires.
As of Thursday, indirect contacts through Pakistani channels were continuing, with Islamabad offering to host additional negotiations if both sides agree.
