Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday welcomed a Pakistani delegation led by Field Marshal Asim Munir, who is trying to revive talks between the US and Iran after the previous round of talks failed.
As Pakistan tries to project itself as the main mediator in the US-Iran conflict, the role of Munir, who is now emerging as the “de facto leader” compared to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is in Saudi Arabia, is reportedly coming to the fore.
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Asked who is leading the US-Iran talks in Islamabad, Pakistan’s former information minister Fawad Chaudhry told ANI, “Frankly speaking, there are no two opinions. Currently Pakistan is led by General Asim Munir. He is the de facto leader of Pakistan. It is now up to the Field Marshal or the CDF to decide… Even yesterday President Trump as the leader of Shera of Shea and Pakistan did not bother. Sharif…”
How did Asim Munir help the US-Iran peace talks?
According to The Wall Street Journal, Pakistan’s role in brokering last weekend’s talks reflects the extraordinary reset Munir has wrought in relations between Washington and Islamabad.
The WSJ, citing people familiar with the matter, noted that Munir was credited with securing the talks and benefited from his cordial ties with US President Donald Trump and US military officials.
Former diplomat Maleeha Lodhi, who was twice Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, told the WSJ: “He is the man who is the architect of Pakistan’s foreign policy,” adding that the Pakistani field marshal is probably the only global figure Trump consistently says positive things about.
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The talks also highlight the shift in ties that Munir has fostered between Washington and Islamabad, along with his efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s ties in the Middle East. Islamabad has also worked closely with mediators from Egypt and Turkey to facilitate direct negotiations, as well as coordinating with Saudi Arabia, with which it shares a mutual defense pact.
How did Munir become Trump’s favorite?
As Munir continued his efforts to improve relations with Trump and his family-led World Liberty Financial, he consolidated gains after India and Pakistan, arch-enemies, engaged in a four-day military conflict in May last year. While Pakistani officials have publicly thanked Trump for ending the war because of the US president, India has denied any third-party mediation in the ceasefire, a move that has fueled tensions between Delhi and Washington. After a four-day military confrontation, Munir had lunch with Trump in June after seeking the Nobel Peace Prize for the US president.
Trump praises Munir
Since Islamabad accepted Washington’s role in brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Trump has praised Munir and Sharif. On 12 April, he called both Munir and Sharif “very extraordinary men” who constantly thank him for saving 30 to 50 million lives in what would have been a “terrible war with India”.
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In December last year, Trump spoke fondly of Munir, saying: “The leader of Pakistan and a highly respected general — he’s a field marshal — and also the prime minister of Pakistan said President Trump saved 10 million lives, maybe more.” The US president often used words like “my favorite field marshal”, “a great fighter”, “a very important person” and “an exceptional human being” to describe Munir.
As Munir takes a more prominent role in the negotiations, the development highlights the evolving nature of regional diplomacy and the growing importance of its strategic engagement in dealing with complex international issues.
