Pakistan is positioning itself as the lead mediator trying to broker an end to the US’s and Israel’s war against Iran, using its military strongman’s ties to Tehran and warm relationship with Donald Trump.
Army chief Asim Munir spoke with Trump on Sunday, according to two people briefed on the call, while Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday.
The conversation between the Pakistani and Iranian leaders came at around the same time as Trump announced that he was delaying his threat to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants after “very good and productive” conversations with Tehran to end the war.