Asim Munir heads to Washington from Iran amid Strait of Hormuz crisis

Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir will be heading to Washington after the high-level talks in Tehran to arrange another round of US-Iran negotiations. According to a report by Tasnim News Agency, Munir is expected to depart for US on Thursday, April 16. However, a meeting with the US President Donald Trump has not been confirmed; reports suggest that he has been in direct contact with Trump. Asim Munir was in Iran to relay an important message from the US on April 15 after the initial round in Islamabad ended without a deal to end the war.

According to a report by Axios, the US and Iran are close to an agreement to end the war. Pakistan's diplomatic blitz appears to have resulted in both the US and Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in a strain in global oil supply and crippled the world economy. “Sharif will try to convince regional partners to also use their leverage to convince the US to participate in new talks with Iran and make sure there is no diplomatic line-crossing,” said Kimberly Halkett, a reporter of Al Jazeera in Islamabad.

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US President Donald Trump said that the world should brace for “amazing two days” as the war with Iran is close to over. At the same time, the Pentagon deployed additional troops in the West Asia theatre. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has also said that additional talks with Iran are likely to go forward with the US in Islamabad. “We feel good about the prospects of a deal,” she told reporters on Wednesday.