Media: Pakistan Army Chief’s visit to Tehran is last attempt to prevent war

A source close to the Iranian-American negotiations told Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that the visit of Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir to Tehran on May 22 does not mean that an agreement with the United States is “already close.”

The source, who wished to remain anonymous, denied media reports about the “existence of a draft agreement” between Tehran and Washington, emphasizing that these publications are “just media speculation.”

The publication’s interlocutor continued that Iranian authorities still consider American demands to be “excessive and unreasonable.” He stressed that “despite some progress” in the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, “fundamental differences still remain.”

Asim Munir arrived in Tehran amid warnings from the United States following Donald Trump’s statement that negotiations with Iran were at a “crossroads.” Trump warned that “the situation could get worse very quickly” if Washington does not get “100% answers.”

Meanwhile, an informed source in the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed to Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that today’s visit of the Pakistan Army Chief to Tehran “may represent a last-ditch attempt to achieve the desired goal of diverting the specter of war from the region.”

The Pakistani source added that the parties “are marking time and no significant progress has yet been achieved on key issues.” He said the reason for this was that Washington and Tehran “do not demonstrate the level of flexibility that could lead to an agreement.”