The Pakistani army shows "cautious optimism" regarding the Iran-US environment: "Why do

The Pakistani military is "cautiously optimistic" regarding its mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, its spokesperson stated on Friday in his first interview during this week's visit of a high-level delegation to Tehran, Reuters reports. The Army Chief, General Asim Munir—Pakistan's chief mediator in efforts to de-escalate tensions from the war with Iran, which has been ongoing for eight months—has visited Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday, accompanied by Saudi and Turkish officials. "Why would the General travel twice if it wasn't about something positive? So yes, of course," stated spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry when asked if these trips represent a positive sign. "The term I use is always cautious optimism," Chaudhry added, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations. He also noted that there have been "strong saboteurs and detractors" who believe the conflict benefits them, without naming them. In a statement made in the military garrison city of Rawalpindi, where the Pakistani armed forces are headquartered, Chaudhry refused to specify what was discussed or whether the United States supported this visit. Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense, and Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkey's intelligence services, joined Munir in Tehran on Monday. Their two countries signed a joint defense pact with Pakistan on August 7th, stipulating that an attack on any signatory party will be considered an attack on all. The Mecca defense agreement has gained increased importance as the war in Iran reshapes regional alliances and fuels fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. Although the three signatories claim the agreement aims for collective deterrence and regional security, analysts believe its evolution is closely linked to the efforts of regional powers to manage the consequences of the confrontation between Iran and the US. Following Monday's discussions, Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that regional security should be ensured by countries in the region, without foreign intervention. The pact text does not preclude the adherence of new members, Chaudhry said on Friday when asked if Iran could join. "Anyone who shares the vision of collective deterrence and regional peace, why not? Everyone is welcome," he said, adding that the decision rests with the political leadership of the three main parties. When asked whether more Pakistani troops would be deployed to Saudi Arabia under the agreement, Chaudhry replied that this would depend on the situation and the decision of the political leadership of both countries. He affirmed that Pakistan is determined to defend Saudi Arabia and the holy sites in Mecca and Medina. "We are not involved in the conflict in Yemen, which is an internal conflict of the country," he added. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi faction in Yemen, aligned with Iran, has been reignited by the war in Iran, fueling fears of a larger-scale war breaking out. Domestically, on October 11th, the federal government suspended the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, who is in prison, and detained Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The government accused the provincial administration of failing to take measures against militants. PTI rejected the accusations and maintains that its government participated in counter-terrorism efforts. PTI leaders described this measure as a pretext to suppress protests. When asked whether large-scale army campaigns are currently taking place in the province, Chaudhry responded that the military does not conduct counter-terrorism operations that way. "Our counter-terrorism operations are based on what we call IBO, meaning intelligence-based operations... The pace and freedom of action for these IBOs will further increase," he affirmed. Independent candidates supported by Khan's PTI won the most mandates elected through direct vote in the February 2024 elections, but they failed to secure a majority. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the only province controlled by Khan's party. Khan has been in prison since 2023, and his supporters believe that the army is behind his imprisonment and the dismantling of PTI. The army denies any political involvement. Read also: JD Vance wrote to Iran's highest security body leader. What Trump says about the vice president's letter "We have to see things through to the end." Trump plans a week-long bombardment against Iran with Israel Editor: A.M.G.