Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir reached Tehran on Wednesday and held a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other officials, according to a post on the Iranian government’s X account.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described the visit as part of “ongoing mediation efforts” for de-escalation between Iran and the US. ISPR said that CDF Munir had arrived in the Iranian capital alongside a formal delegation and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Later, Araghchi posted on X: “Delighted to welcome Field Marshal Munir to Iran. Expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s gracious hosting of the dialogue, emphasising that it reflects our deep and great bilateral relationship. Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong—and shared.”

The development came hours after Iran said that exchanges with the United States via Pakistan had continued following negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend that yielded no result.

“Since Sunday, when the Iranian delegation returned to Tehran, several messages have been exchanged through Pakistan,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.

“Today, we are very likely to receive a Pakistani delegation as a continuation of the discussions in Islamabad,” he added.

Baqaei asserted that Tehran’s right to enrich uranium was “indisputable” although the level of enrichment is “negotiable”.

The Iranian official said the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy could not be “taken away under pressure or through war”.

“Regarding the level and type of enrichment, we have always stated that this issue is negotiable. We have emphasised that Iran should be able to continue enrichment in accordance with its needs,” he added.

Baqaei also said some of the US demands during the talks with the US were “unreasonable and unrealistic”, without elaborating.

He insisted on Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy, saying it could not be “taken away under pressure or through war”.

The level of enrichment, he said, remains “negotiable” and “Iran should be able to continue enrichment in accordance with its needs”.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that talks between Washington and Tehran could resume over the next two days and that “we’re more inclined to go” to Pakistan, according to The New York Post.

“You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go there,” Trump said.

“It’s more likely, you know why? Because the Field Marshal is doing a great job. He’s fantastic, and therefore it’s more likely that we go back there,“ he told The NY Post. “Why should we go to some country that has nothing to do with it?”

This was after he earlier told the US media outlet that discussions were “happening, but, you know, a little bit slow”, before indicating that a second round of direct negotiations would likely happen somewhere in Europe.

And on Wednesday, in a clip shared of an interview shared by Fox, Trump said that the war with Iran is “very close to over”.

Pakistan hosted direct Iran-US talks in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday, marking the highest engagement between the two sides since 1979. The talks ended without an agreement despite nearly 21 hours of talks. While no breakthrough was achieved, both sides indicated that the diplomatic channel remained open.

On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a meeting of the federal cabinet that “full efforts” were ongoing to resolve the conflict.

Noting that the truce was still holding, he said, “As I am talking to you, matters that are not resolved, full efforts are underway to resolve them.”

The ceasefire between the US and Iran, brokered on April 8 after weeks of conflict, is set to expire on April 22. While technically intact, it is increasingly precarious.

The US has moved toward enforcing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, prompting a warning from Tehran that such a move would be a violation of the ceasefire.

Israel “cannot live without an enemy” and its government is now trying to portray Turkiye as one, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday.

“After Iran, Israel cannot live without an enemy,” Fidan said in a televised interview with Anadolu Agency.

“We see that not only Netanyahu’s administration but also some figures in the opposition — though not all — are seeking to declare Turkiye the new enemy,” he said.

“This is a new development in Israel… turning into a state strategy,” he added.

Turkiye, a fierce critic of Israel, had joined diplomatic efforts with Pakistan and Egypt aimed at de-escalation during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Tensions between Turkiye and Israel have steadily escalated since the latter’s war on Gaza erupted following Hamas’s Oct 7, 2023 attacks.

Netanyahu ‘described as the Hitler of our time’: Turkiye

The dispute entered a new phase over the weekend after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned his US counterpart Donald Trump of “possible provocations and sabotage” that could jeopardise an initial ceasefire arrangement in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Subsequently, on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticised Erdogan in a post on X and vowed Tel Aviv would continue to confront Tehran and its regional allies.

Later on Saturday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also lashed out at Erdogan on X, calling him a “paper tiger”.

Erdogan “who did not respond to missile fire from Iran into Turkish territory and has proven to be a paper tiger, is now fleeing into the realm of anti-Semitism and calling for show trials in Turkiye against Israel’s political and military leadership”, Katz said on X.

The Turkish foreign ministry then slammed Netanyahu for remarks targeting Erdogan, saying the remarks were a result of “the discomfort caused by the truths we have consistently voiced on every platform”.

“Netanyahu, who has been described as the Hitler of our time due to the crimes he has committed, is a well-known figure with a clear track record,” the ministry said in a statement.

It contended that Netanyahu’s “current objective is to undermine ongoing peace negotiations and continue his expansionist policies in the region”.

“Failing this, he risks being tried in his own country and is likely to be sentenced to imprisonment,” it added, referring to his long-running corruption trial.

The ministry noted that an arrest warrant had been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“Under Netanyahu’s administration, Israel is facing proceedings before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide,” the Turkish ministry pointed out.

“The fact that our president has been targeted by Israeli officials with baseless, brazen, and false allegations is a result of the discomfort caused by the truths we have consistently voiced on every platform,” the ministry said.

“Türkiye will continue to stand by innocent civilians and will further its efforts to ensure that Netanyahu is held accountable for the crimes he has committed,” it asserted.