Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is visiting Tehran on Thursday as part of diplomatic attempts to mediate disputes between the US and Iran. According to Iran's ISNA news agency, Munir is visiting Tehran to reduce diplomatic gaps and facilitate the signing of an official memorandum of understanding to end the current confrontation between Iran and the United States. The visit is centred on high-level discussions and consultations between Tehran and Washington, during a period of active diplomatic engagement where Pakistan is acting as the main middleman. This follows a swift, unannounced arrival by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday, marking his second Tehran trip in less than a week. As per Reuters sources, "We're speaking to all the various groups in Iran to streamline communication and so things pick up pace," said one source familiar with negotiations, while acknowledging that "Trump's patience running thin is a concern."
According to sources cited by The Media Line, Washington has delivered a fresh agreement proposal to Tehran via Pakistani channels. The Pakistani Interior Minister is currently in Tehran acting as a special envoy carrying a message from Field Marshal Asim Munir. While Iran reviews the text and holds its official response, a Pakistani mediator is on the ground in Tehran, working urgently to bridge the divide between the American and Iranian positions. As per Press TV, Naqvi immediately went into closed-door sessions with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian before holding critical talks with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed on Wednesday that the Iranians have "received US views and are reviewing them" according to Iranian state agency Nour News. However, Iran's latest offer to the US this week largely repeats terms Trump previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of US troops.
The US and Iran have stuck to directly opposing stances over Tehran's uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz, providing little hope for progress in Pakistani-led efforts to end the conflict. President Trump said the US will eventually recover Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, telling reporters at the White House: "We will get it. We don't need it, we don't want it. We'll probably destroy it after we get it, but we're not going to let them have it." However, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a directive that the uranium should not be sent abroad, according to two senior Iranian sources told Reuters before Trump's comments. Trump also railed against Tehran's intentions to charge fees for use of the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passed through before the war. "We want it open, we want it free. We don't want tolls," Trump said, calling it "an international waterway." Iran's deputy foreign minister on Thursday restated Tehran's claims to sovereignty over the strait, with Iran's Revolutionary Guards warning that any US military action would trigger retaliation beyond its region.
The impasse is wreaking havoc on the global economy, chiefly due to the inflationary impact of soaring oil prices. Oil prices were higher on Thursday: U.S. crude rose 3.22% to $101.42 a barrel and Brent rose to $107.71 per barrel, up 2.54% on the day, according to Reuters. Trump faces domestic pressure ahead of November's midterm elections, with his approval rating near its lowest since he returned to the White House, with fuel price hikes a big factor. The International Energy Agency says the conflict has produced the world's worst energy shock, warning that the peak of summer fuel demand coupled with a lack of new Middle East supply means the market could enter the "red zone" in July and August. Some ships are managing to transit the strait, but only a trickle compared with the 125-140 daily passages before the war. Iran's IRNA news agency said 31 ships had passed in the last 24 hours in coordination with the Iranian navy.
US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that talks were on the "borderline" between a deal and renewed strikes, telling reporters at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, DC: "Believe me, if we don't get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We're all ready to go." Trump, who has repeatedly set deadlines for Iran to reach a deal only to delay or cancel them, said he was willing to wait a few days to "get the right answers" from Tehran. Trump insisted that the US was "in the final stage of Iran" and said: "We'll see what happens. Either have a deal or we're going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won't happen." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on Wednesday that his ministry was ready for either talks or a return to fighting, stating: "Wherever it is necessary to fight, we will fight, and wherever it is necessary to negotiate, we will negotiate." The Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized that "if necessary and if the interests of the system require it, we will be present in the field of diplomacy, dialogue and negotiation with the same determination and strength that the armed forces demonstrate in defending the country."
