Pakistani army chief meets Iranian officials amid mediation efforts to end US war

Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has held meetings with senior Iranian officials amid stepped-up efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran permanently.

Munir arrived in the capital Tehran on Friday as part of Pakistan's ongoing mediation efforts aimed at brokering a deal between the US and Iran.

He held separate meetings with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Saturday, according to Iran's state media.

"We will not deviate from the rights of our nation and country," Qalibaf said in his meeting with Munir, warning the US of "more devastating" consequences if it breaks the truce.

Munir also held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. During the meeting, Araghchi conveyed Tehran's views regarding the talks with Washington.

"The basis of the talks is Iran's Fourteen-Point Plan," Iran's state-run broadcaster IRIB reported.

This marked the second meeting of its kind in less than 24 hours as the Iranian Foreign Ministry reported earlier Saturday that Araghchi and Munir held a meeting on Friday that continued late into the night.

The late Friday's discussions addressed the latest diplomatic efforts and initiatives aimed at preventing escalation and ending the war, "as well as ways to strengthen peace, stability, and security in the West Asian region," the ministry added.

Following the talks, the Pakistani army chief left Iran, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Munir is directly involved in mediation between Washington and Tehran, and it is his second visit to Tehran in recent weeks.

Pakistan secured the ceasefire on April 8, and later hosted the highest-level talks between the US and Iran since 1979 on April 11-12.

The US and Iran have been negotiating through Islamabad proposals and counterproposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as well as tackle concerns over Tehran’s nuclear program and its demand for sanctions relief.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that there had been "slight progress" in the talks.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said the US postponed renewing attacks on Iran after requests from Gulf leaders, and that serious negotiations were underway.