Pakistani army chief visits Tehran in bid to broker renewed talks
between US and Iran
[April 16, 2026]
By SAMY MAGDY, SAM METZ, MUNIR AHMED and MIKE CORDER
CAIRO (AP) — Pakistan’s army chief is set to meet with Iranian officials
in Tehran on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and
arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and
Iran after almost seven weeks of war.
The White House said any further talks would likely take place in the
Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on
whether to resume negotiations.
The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued as U.S. Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up
economic pain on Iran with new economic sanctions on countries doing
business with it, calling the move the “financial equivalent” of a
bombing campaign.
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after it hosted direct talks
between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad that authorities said helped
narrow differences between the two sides. Mediators are seeking a new
round before the ceasefire expires next week.
Meanwhile, Trump wrote late Wednesday on Truth Social that leaders from
Israel and Lebanon would speak the next day in a renewed effort to
broker a ceasefire after the countries' first direct talks in decades
ended the previous day in Washington without a deal. It was not clear
what leaders Trump was referring to. The Israeli prime minister’s office
did not immediately respond for comment, which was posted before dawn in
Israel and Lebanon.
The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping
has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian
infrastructure across the region. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for
an end to fighting, and U.S. stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set
in January.
Officials say US and Iran are making progress
Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats
strained the ceasefire agreement, regional officials reported progress,
telling The Associated Press the United States and Iran had an “in
principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy. They
spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took part in a preliminary
meeting Wednesday with Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief of staff,
Iranian state media reported.
But even as mediators worked for peace, tensions simmered.
The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi,
threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its
naval blockade, and a newly-appointed military adviser to Iranian
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he doesn’t support extending the
ceasefire.
Mediators seek compromise on sticking points
Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points
that derailed direct talks last weekend — Iran’s nuclear program, the
Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damages, according to a
regional official involved in the mediation efforts.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to
discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country
“based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,” Iranian state
media reported.
The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,100
in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states.
Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.
China calls for Strait of Hormuz to reopen
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the window of peace was opening
during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, who briefed him on the
latest developments in Iran-U.S. negotiations and Tehran’s
considerations on the next step, according to a statement from China’s
foreign ministry late Wednesday.
[to top of second column]
|
In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Pakistan's
Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir, left, is welcomed by
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi upon his arrival in Tehran,
Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Iranian Foreign Ministry via AP)
Wang told Araghchi that the situation has reached a critical juncture
between war and peace, and said Iran’s sovereignty, security, and
legitimate rights should be respected as a littoral state of the Strait
of Hormuz, while freedom of navigation and safety through the strait
should be ensured.
Since the war began, Iran has curtailed maritime traffic through the
Strait of Hormuz, which a fifth of global oil transited through in
peacetime. Tehran’s effective closure of the strait sent oil prices
skyrocketing, raising the cost of fuel, food and other basic goods far
beyond the Middle East, and the U.S. has responded with a blockade on
Iranian shipping.
U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that no ships had made it past the
blockade since it was imposed two days earlier, while 10 merchant
vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and
reenter Iranian waters.
The blockade is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions
of barrels of oil, mostly to Asia, since the war began Feb. 28. Much of
it has likely been carried by so-called dark transits that evade
sanctions and oversight, providing cash that’s been vital to keeping
Iran running.
Strikes continue in Lebanon after Washington talks
Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with its aerial and ground war in
Lebanon. The country's National News Agency reported airstrikes and
artillery shelling throughout southern Lebanon on Wednesday, including
near Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces have encircled Hezbollah fighters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops were about
to “eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah” and would continue
expanding control of areas in southern Lebanon.
Netanyahu said negotiations are continuing, with disarming Hezbollah a
key goal.
The Lebanese Health Ministry said Israel struck three teams of
paramedics Wednesday in southern Lebanon, first hitting one team and
then two more that rushed to help. The attacks killed three paramedics
and wounded six others, the ministry said.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
Israel and Lebanon have technically been at war since Israel was
established in 1948, and Lebanon remains deeply divided over diplomatic
engagement with Israel.
___
Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, Ahmed from Islamabad and Corder
from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville,
Aamer Madhani and Joshua Boak in Washington; Julia Frankel in New York
and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
