A man holds a poster of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during an anti-US and anti-Israel rally at Enghelab Square [Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]By Elizabeth Melimopoulos and AFPPublished On 16 Apr 202616 Apr 2026
Efforts to revive US-Iran negotiations are gathering pace, with Pakistan again having an important mediating role as its leaders hold high-level talks in Tehran and the Gulf.
Amid a renewed push to end the war, a Pakistani delegation, led by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is in Tehran. He is expected to relay messages from the United States, while Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, arrived in Saudi Arabia as part of a regional tour that includes Qatar and Turkiye.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmael Baghaei, said Tehran and Washington have remained in contact since talks in Islamabad ended on Sunday. On Wednesday, Washington signalled optimism about a new round of talks in the Pakistani capital.
But the diplomatic push comes amid increasing tension, as Iran warns it could expand its response to the US naval blockade beyond its own waters.
Divisions in Washington persist, with the US Senate rejecting a measure to limit the war without congressional approval.
