Pakistan's Asim Munir in Iran for peace talks as Trump says war 'close to over'

A Pakistani delegation, led by Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, reached Iran on Wednesday, days after failed US-Iran talks in Islamabad to end the Middle East war. The visit comes as part of Islamabad's efforts to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran.

The Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the military, confirmed the arrival in a statement, saying that Munir is part of a delegation that also includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

"Field Marshal Asim Munir... and Mr Mohsin Naqvi, Interior Minister, along with the delegation, arrive at Tehran as part of the ongoing mediation efforts," the ISPR was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

Iran's Abbas Araghchi welcomes Pak delegation

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi welcomed the delegation members upon their arrival in Tehran, according to the Iranian media.

Araghchi's Telegram channel posted several photos of him welcoming the Pakistani official, saying: "Munir arrives in Tehran."

Citing sources, Geo News reported that officials and security agencies in Pakistan have been instructed to make necessary administrative and security arrangements ahead of the next round of talks.

Trump hints at second round of talks

US President Donald Trump told Sky News on Wednesday that a US deal with Iran is ‘very possible’ before King Charles' visit to Washington later this month. Trump was quoted as saying, "It's possible. Very possible. They're [Iran] beaten up pretty bad. It's very possible."

Trump also told ABC News that the war with Iran was close to over. "I think you're going to be watching an amazing two days ahead," Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, according to a post by the reporter on X, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that expires next week.

A day earlier, Trump said that a second round of talks with Iran could be held in Islamabad "over the next two days".

"You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we're more inclined to go there," Trump told The New York Post.

"I think it’s close to over, yeah. I mean, I view it as very close to over," Trump said in an interview on Fox Business Network conducted Tuesday and broadcast Wednesday. “We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly.”

Shehbaz's visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Asim Munir's trip to Iran came as Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif embarked on official visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye on Wednesday.

His visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar will be in the bilateral context, where the Prime Minister will meet the leadership of the two countries to discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation as well as regional peace and security, the Foreign Office said.

The visits are part of an effort to facilitate the US and Iran to reach an agreement to end the ongoing conflict.

What happened in first round of US-Iran talks?

The US and Iran held rare direct talks in Pakistan over the weekend aimed at ending their conflict, but the talks ended early Sunday without any agreement.

US Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, said the talks failed to reach a deal, citing Tehran not forgoing its nuclear programme as one of the key sticking points.

Trump also wrote of TRUTH social, “…the meeting went well, most points were agreed to, but the only point that really mattered, NUCLEAR, was not.”

Iran, however, said that the Islamabad talks failed due to "excessive demands" made by the American side.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Iranian Parliament Speaker who led his country's delegation in marathon peace talks, said that his team raised "forward-looking initiatives, but the opposite side ultimately failed to win the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations."

According to reports, officials from Pakistan, Iran and Gulf states also said both sides could return to Islamabad in the coming days.

Pakistani officials claimed that the second round is expected in the coming days, for which Pakistan has been making all-out efforts, PTI reported.

The conflict began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, paralysing global energy markets and disrupting trade.

The US, alongside Israel, launched attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering Iranian attacks on Iran's Gulf neighbours and reigniting a conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.