Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, who is acting as a key mediator between the US and Iran, would travel to Tehran only if the final formula for the framework sought by both sides is reached, according to reports.
Munir's travel plans have been a topic of discussion since US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted on Thursday that there were “good signs” for a deal to end the war with Iran, and Munir could travel to Tehran. However, reports later emerged that Munir called off his plans to visit Iran.
Rubio, talking to reporters, said on Thursday: "I believe the Pakistanis will be travelling to Tehran today, so hopefully that’ll advance this further. There are some good signs, but I don’t want to be overly optimistic. Let’s see what happens over the next few days.”
Munir is said to be overseeing the exchange of messages and texts between the Islamic Republic and the US. However, Saudi Arabia-based Al-Hadath TV, citing high-ranking diplomatic sources, said Munir called off his visit.
A hardline Iranian journalist, Ali Gholhaki, also speculated that the postponement of Munir's visit was an important sign. "The postponement of the trip of Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir to Tehran - after a 24-hour wait - is an important sign. The US insists that the nuclear debate, under the current circumstances, be negotiated, and its file closed. But Iran considers negotiations on the nuclear issue to be conditional on a 30-day confidence-building process of ending the war and lifting the naval blockade. On the issue of the Strait, the Americans are not willing to accept Iran's collection of tolls," he said.
The Army Chief has, however, sent Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to Tehran for the second time this week on Wednesday, carrying a message from the United States to the Iranian government.
Enriched uranium, the reason?
US President Donald Trump has reiterated that the US would not let Iran keep its highly enriched Uranium, in response to reports that Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has issued a directive that the nuclear fuel not be sent abroad, hardening Iran’s stance on a central US demand in talks to end the war.
"A nuclear Iran would lead to 'nuclear war in the Middle East, and that war will come here, that war will go to Europe — we can’t let that happen, and it won’t happen,” said Trump. “I can think of nothing that’s more important than the fact that we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
“We’re gonna get it one way or the other, they’re not gonna have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Roughly 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of the highly enriched material is believed to have been buried following US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Israel-Iran war last June.