Field Marshal Asim Munir is expected to discuss peace efforts and regional tensions in Tehran as Washington prepares tougher economic measures against Iran.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir is due to visit Tehran as tensions escalate between the United States and Iran over Washington’s planned new sanctions against Tehran.
The visit comes as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent prepares to announce what Washington describes as a major new financial campaign against Iran. Tehran, meanwhile, has warned that continued economic pressure could prompt it to halt oil exports from the Gulf.
Munir Expected to Discuss Regional Tensions
According to Iranian officials and two Pakistani government sources cited by Reuters, Munir’s visit is part of efforts to promote peace and security in the region.
A Pakistani government source said the CDF is expected to discuss recent developments with Iranian leaders, including US President Donald Trump’s warning of tougher sanctions against Iran.
The discussions are also expected to cover peace efforts under an agreement brokered by Islamabad, developments following the Pakistan-Turkiye-Saudi Arabia agreement and issues involving Yemen’s Houthi movement.
One Pakistani source said Iran and Pakistan remain in direct contact amid the heightened regional tensions.
US Prepares Major Financial Offensive
The visit comes as Washington prepares additional economic measures against Tehran.
Bessent is scheduled to hold a press conference on Monday at 2pm EDT (1800 GMT), where further details of the US measures are expected to be announced.
In an opinion article published in the Financial Times, Bessent described the planned campaign as the “single greatest financial offensive” ever assembled against an adversary.
Although he did not disclose specific measures, Bessent indicated that the United States could target countries and entities that continue economic and financial dealings with Iran.
The latest measures would add to decades of sanctions that have placed significant pressure on Iran’s economy.
Iran Threatens to Halt Gulf Oil Exports
Iran has responded to Washington’s threats with increasingly forceful warnings.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, warned that Tehran could stop oil exports if what it describes as an economic war continues.
“If the economic war continues,” Rezaei said in a social media post, Iran would export no oil through the Strait of Hormuz or anywhere in the Persian Gulf. He also warned that countries supporting the US economic campaign could be considered to be participating in an act of war.
Any prolonged disruption of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could have significant consequences for global energy markets because the waterway is a major route for international oil trade.
Pakistan Continues Diplomatic Role
Islamabad has maintained diplomatic contacts with both Washington and Tehran as it attempts to reduce tensions.
The Pakistani government previously brokered a two-week ceasefire between the two sides on April 8, following six weeks of fighting, and has continued relaying messages between Washington and Tehran, according to the Reuters report.
Pakistan is not the only country attempting to facilitate dialogue. Qatar and Turkiye have also been involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing further escalation.
Official face-to-face negotiations between the United States and Iran have not resumed since their last talks in Switzerland in June, according to Reuters.
China Urges Diplomacy
The potential sanctions campaign has also drawn attention from China, a major trading partner of Iran and a significant buyer of Gulf oil.
Bessent has previously called on Beijing to cooperate with Washington over Iran-related economic pressure.
A spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington said sanctions and pressure would not resolve the dispute and called instead for diplomacy.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Key Concern
The dispute comes amid continued tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has threatened to target oil shipments in response to pressure from the United States.
According to the Reuters report, Iranian missile and drone capabilities remain a concern for Gulf states and commercial shipping, while disruption in the strategic waterway has already put pressure on global fuel markets.
Iran’s economy was already facing inflation, currency weakness, energy shortages and long-standing sanctions before the latest conflict. Further restrictions could increase economic hardship and place additional pressure on Tehran.
