Pakistan's military says it remains cautiously optimistic about the country's efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), discussed the effort in a Reuters interview in Rawalpindi on 30 October 2026. He did not announce an agreement or a timetable for new talks.
What did the spokesman say?
Chaudhry pointed to two October visits to Tehran by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir as grounds for guarded optimism. He also warned that opponents of de-escalation could seek to undermine diplomacy, without identifying them.
Reuters reported that the most recent Tehran visit involved officials from Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Asked about the discussions and whether the United States had supported the visit, Chaudhry declined to give details. The meeting does not independently establish that Tehran and Washington have reached a deal.
Could regional defence arrangements change?
Chaudhry said that the wording of the defence arrangement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey does not automatically exclude other countries, including Iran, from joining. Any membership decision, however, would rest with the political leadership of the existing signatories.
He also stated that Pakistan remains committed to Saudi Arabia's defence while saying the country is not part of Yemen's internal conflict. Decisions about troop deployments would depend on circumstances and political direction, he added.
What happens next?
Pakistan's assessment suggests its mediation effort is continuing, but the parties involved have not announced a confirmed diplomatic settlement in the cited reporting. Further developments should be assessed from direct statements by the governments involved rather than inferred from visits alone.