ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan has taken on the role of mediator for peace discussions between the United States and Iran, a move largely attributed to the robust rapport between President Trump and Pakistan’s military leader.
Pakistani Field Marshal General Asim Munir has been actively mediating between U.S. Vice President Vance and Tehran since the conflict erupted on February 28, according to General and Ambassador Tariq Rashid Khan, who spoke exclusively with The Post on Saturday.
“Our aim is to see this conflict resolved. It has been six weeks, and Iran has remained completely defiant,” Khan stated during the peace negotiations.
“President Trump has expressed that there will be a regime change, and we are committed to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open,” he added.
The connection between Munir and Trump was solidified last year during Pakistan’s brief conflict with India. This conflict concluded after only four days, following a peace agreement facilitated by the United States.
Following these events, President Trump extended an invitation to Munir for discussions at the White House, where they developed a “personal understanding,” as Khan mentioned.
“Trump, from that moment onward, has appreciated him. He’s a great leader. He is a great fighter, and he is the man with nerves of steel,” explained Khan.
“The war broke out between Iran and the United States of America, and right from that time, we were engaging with them. Our Field Marshal was constantly in touch with the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, and also the leadership of Iran.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a major flashpoint in the negotiations, especially after Tehran began charging ships this week for the opportunity to pass through the channel.
The passage is an international waterway governed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, meaning Iran is acting illegally by blocking ships and causing global oil disruptions.
Khan expressed hope that the talks in Pakistan will be successful, as both US and Iran have come to understand the global effects of the fighting.
“After fighting for six long weeks, [they] have realized that they cannot bear the damage …I think both sides now realize that enough has been done, and the cost of living, the cost which was incurred by the common person of the whole,” said Khan.
The negotiations were set to take place Saturday at the luxury Serena Hotel in Pakistan’s capital city.
Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were representing the US.
It is not clear whether the officials would be talking face-to-face, but a Pakistani official indicated they would occur “in the same room.”
If true, it would be the first time that the Americans and Iranians have spoken directly since 2015.
