Pakistan Optimistic About Iran-US Mediation, Says DG ISPR
Pakistan Cautiously Optimistic About Iran-US Mediation, Says DG ISPR
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says the Makkah Defence Agreement does not prevent Iran from joining, while Pakistan remains committed to regional peace and Saudi Arabia’s security.
ISLAMABAD, October 30, 2026: Pakistan is cautiously optimistic about its mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said.
In an interview with Reuters, the military spokesperson described Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent visits to Iran as positive, noting that the Pakistani military chief had travelled to Tehran twice during the month.
Responding to questions about the visits, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said their positive nature was reflected in the fact that the field marshal had made two trips. However, he stressed that Pakistan continued to use the word “cautiously” when assessing the progress.
Without identifying any country or group, the DG ISPR also pointed to influential elements that he said were creating obstacles and believed the ongoing conflict served their interests.
He declined to share details of Pakistan’s discussions with Iran or comment on the level of US support for the mediation initiative.
Iran’s Possible Inclusion in Makkah Defence Agreement
Addressing the possibility of Iran joining the Makkah Defence Agreement, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said the agreement’s text did not prevent additional countries from becoming members.
He said countries sharing the vision of collective defence and regional peace could be welcomed, adding that the final decision rested with the political leadership of the three founding members.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the joint defence agreement on August 7, 2026. Under the agreement, an attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all three.
The comments came after Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran alongside senior Saudi and Turkish officials, including Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin.
During the visit, the delegation held meetings with senior Iranian military officials and the country’s foreign minister.
Pakistan’s Commitment to Saudi Arabia
Responding to a question about the possible deployment of additional Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia, the DG ISPR said the decision would depend on the prevailing situation and the leadership of both countries.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to defending Saudi Arabia and the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
However, he clarified that Pakistan was not part of the Yemen conflict, describing it as an internal dispute.
Counterterrorism Operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
On the possibility of a major military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency measures, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said the military did not conduct counterterrorism operations in that manner.
He explained that security operations were primarily intelligence-based and conducted through Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs).
The DG ISPR added that the pace of such operations would be further accelerated to address security threats.
The federal government imposed governor’s rule and emergency measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 11, 2026, amid allegations that the provincial government had failed to tackle terrorism and cooperate with the federation.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rejected the allegations.
