FO rejects claims Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Iran as ‘Trump envoy’

WEB DESK: The Foreign Office has rejected claims that Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Iran on August 24 on the behest of the United States government, stressing he went to facilitate US-Iran talks owing to Pakistan’s role in diplomacy since the onset of war this year.

“In this regard I would like to highlight that claims by certain quarters that CDF Munir visited Iran as envoy of President Trump or the US are misleading and factually incorrect. His visit was undertaken purely against the backdrop of Pakistan’s ongoing role as a mediator,” the FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said while addressing the weekly briefing.

He added that the visit was regarding Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to facilitate a resolution to the Iran-US conflict and help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The visit reflected Islamabad’s principled and constructive role in supporting regional diplomacy and was appreciated by the Iranian leadership.

On Afghanistan, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed the Afghan government’s proposal to keep dialogue open, but stressed that the sustainability of the process would depend on actions rather than assurances. “Afghan soil must not be used to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan,” he said.

He said Pakistan continued to support the Doha framework and remained ready for institutional coordination with Afghanistan on counter-terrorism and border management. However, he said Pakistan remained concerned about hostile proxies, particularly the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and called for verifiable counter-terrorism measures.

On Bangladesh’s reported interest in joining the Makkah Defence Agreement, Andrabi said the Syrian foreign minister had also expressed interest, while Iran and Bangladesh had likewise shown an inclination to join the arrangement.

He said the evolving security architecture remained open to countries that shared a commitment to collective obligations and common security interests. “Any formal request will be considered after consultation with Ankara and Riyadh,” he said.

Dar’s visit to the UK was also discussed, including efforts to secure the safe release of Pakistani maritime workers. Dar has urged the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to intervene and help secure the sailors’ release. He raised the issue with IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez during a meeting in London.

Ten Pakistani seafarers have been held hostage since April after Somali pirates hijacked the Palau-flagged oil tanker MT Honour 25 off Puntland, Somalia. The hostages also include seven Indonesians, including the vessel’s captain, as well as one Indian and one Sri Lankan national. Negotiations for their release have made no progress, while a ransom of around $3 million has reportedly been demanded.

Andrabi said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is due to attend the SCO summit in Bishkek, where he is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with leaders and delegations on the sidelines of the conference. The spokesperson said Pakistan would host the SCO in 2027 and that Prime Minister Shehbaz would also meet the Kyrgyz leadership during his visit.

The spokesperson also said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had spoken with his Kuwaiti counterpart, as well as his Egyptian and Turkish counterparts, about the importance of diplomacy in addressing regional developments.

Andrabi said Pakistan and Syria had discussed the recent visit of the Syrian foreign minister to Islamabad, describing it as the first such visit since the formation of Syria’s new government. He said the two sides discussed institutional engagement and contacts between their interior and commerce ministries, while reaffirming their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Andrabi said Pakistan, along with Arab and other Islamic countries, had condemned Israel’s rejection of a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza. He said Pakistan remained committed to an end to the war, the establishment of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders and a two-state solution. He added that 11 countries had joined Pakistan in condemning an Israeli strike in Syria as well.

On Pakistan-France relations, Andrabi said the two countries had held discussions on multilateral issues, including peacekeeping and counter-terrorism. He said Pakistan’s delegation at the talks was led by Ambassador Nabeel Munir. He also said Pakistan would lead the final session of the 2026 Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, where it would work towards finalising the Conference on Disarmament’s report.

Expressing concern over the floods in Nepal, Andrabi said, “The entire nation joins in expressing its sorrow” over the loss and devastation caused by the disaster.