Asim Munir arrives in Tehran on fifth visit since June
Pakistan's army chief landed on Tuesday, a day after Lavrov, while Iran-US talks stand still and Tehran does not rule out a return to fighting.
Field Marshal Asim Munir, chief of staff of the Pakistani army, arrived in Tehran on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at a moment when diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States are stalled over the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a key transport route for oil and gas. Iranian state television reported that he came with a delegation of Pakistani officials, and its statement described him as the commander of the Pakistani army.
What is known about Munir’s visit?
State television said in its statement: “General Asim Munir, commander of the Pakistani army, has arrived in Tehran together with a delegation of officials from his country.” Earlier that day, at the weekly press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Bagaei confirmed the visit. According to him, the talks touch on issues related to the negotiations, but are, as he put it, “mostly focused on bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation.”
Reuters announced the arrival a day earlier, citing a Pakistani official and Iranian media. The agency recalls that Munir’s earlier talks with Iranian leaders over the summer dealt with preventing escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the conflict sooner. The outcome of the current talks was not known at the time of publication.
According to Arab News and Agence France-Presse, this is Munir’s fifth visit to Tehran since the June agreement. His arrival follows a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was in Tehran on Monday, October 19, as we have already reported in our piece on the Russian offer to mediate over Hormuz.
What has Pakistan achieved so far as a mediator?
Pakistan plays a central mediating role in the so far unsuccessful attempts to end the war. In June it helped broker a short-lived memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US. Tehran still insists that this very document should be the basis of any peace agreement.
The war was launched in February by the US and Israel, and during the conflict Iran tried to block the Strait of Hormuz. Talks between Iran and the US have now stalled, with the future of the strait and Iran’s nuclear program among the disputed issues. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi blamed Washington on Monday for the insecurity in the strait.
How firm is the ceasefire?
The United States has not attacked Iran since September, but the possibility of a return to fighting still hangs over the country. Bagaei told reporters on Tuesday that Tehran does not dismiss it: “We live with that possibility day and night, and we cannot rule it out, even as we speak.”
In Tehran, the Russian foreign minister and the Pakistani army commander have thus turned up within two days of each other, while talks between Iran and the US remain at a standstill.
