- Economic recovery process reversed due to the Middle East war: Asif.
- Defense tsar expresses hope for peace across region and beyond.
- Pakistan helps avoid major global crisis, says defense minister.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday said Pakistan’s efforts in the ongoing US-Iran mediation were gradually moving towards a “positive outcome”, expressing hope for peace across the region and beyond.
“We have slowly moved closer to a positive outcome in mediation between the United States and Iran,” the defense tsar said. Geographic news in Sialkot.
According to Asif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir and the presence of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Iran itself “signaled that the matter was moving closer” to a resolution.
Field Marshal Munir landed in Tehran on Friday as Islamabad stepped up diplomatic efforts to help end the US-Israel war against Iran.
During the visit, accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was already in Tehran, Defense Forces (CDF) Chief Munir met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to discuss regional de-escalation and ongoing mediation efforts.
Pakistan emerged as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran after six weeks of fighting that began on February 28, with Islamabad playing a central role in ceasefire negotiations and secondary diplomacy.
The war in the Middle East broke out after the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with attacks on US bases across the region and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Hostilities ended on April 8 when Pakistan facilitated a two-week ceasefire, followed by direct negotiations between the United States and Iran in its capital between April 11 and 12.
However, the talks concluded without an agreement to permanently end the conflict, as both sides disagreed on a number of issues, including Tehran’s blockade of Hormuz and its nuclear and missile programs.
Despite the stalemate, Islamabad continued to push for mediation between Tehran and Washington, and also helped extend the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the defense minister said Pakistan was helping to prevent a major global crisis and expressed optimism that the country’s diplomatic efforts would be successful.
Talking about the internal problems, Asif acknowledged the impact of inflation on ordinary citizens and said that people with limited resources face the greatest difficulties amid rising prices.
“We were in a recovery phase, but due to this war our economy has suffered a lot,” he said, adding that the recovery process had not only stalled but also reversed.
