Iran War Day 177: Pakistani Army Chief Heading to Tehran for Talks

Foreign Affairs State of the Union: Unconfirmed reports say Iran has been invited to join a Saudi–Turkish–Pakistani defense pact. Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir will visit Iran Monday to continue peace talks, the Iranian foreign ministry said Sunday. In June, Pakistan helped broker a framework U.S.–Iran agreement—the memorandum of understanding (MOU)—that quickly fell apart but still offers a possible off-ramp from the war. A Pakistani government source told Reuters that Munir planned to discuss recent threats of economic warfare by President Donald Trump, among other issues. “He will discuss peace under Islamabad’s MOU, Trump’s warning, and the situation after the Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arab Agreement and Houthi issues with Iranian leaders,” the source said. Subscribe Today Get daily emails in your inbox Al Arabiya, a Saudi television channel, reported that Munir will convey messages from the U.S. to Iranian leaders. Hardliners in Tehran have criticized the MOU, but Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says it remains the best path to peace and economic security. “There is not a single provision in this agreement that amounts to capitulation,” Pezeshkian said in a speech published Sunday by Iranian state media. Pezeshkian has acknowledged Iran’s ongoing economic problems, including inflation and unemployment. Iran has been invited to join the Saudi-Turkish–Pakistani defense pact signed earlier this month, Lebanese media reported Saturday, citing an Iranian official. That reporting has not been confirmed. Riyadh and Tehran historically have had tense relations, but Iran’s Foreign Ministry praised the pact as marking a welcome shift in the regional security order.