Pakistani general says Iran diplomacy still 'alive, despite US blockade, failed talks

The United States began enforcing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime postulation Monday, sharply escalating tensions successful nan Gulf conscionable hours aft high-level talks successful Pakistan betwixt Washington and Tehran collapsed without a deal.

The move, announced by President Donald Trump, came aft negotiations successful Islamabad ended without a breakthrough, contempt what participants described arsenic uncommon nonstop engagement betwixt nan 2 sides.

But Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mohammed Saeed, erstwhile main of wide unit of nan Pakistan Army, said successful an exclusive question and reply pinch Fox News Digital that nan talks came acold person to occurrence than their result suggests — and based on that diplomacy is still wrong reach.

"Both sides are saying they were very adjacent … moreover inches distant from a solution," Saeed said. "They talked to each different successful a very friends manner. There was, from some sides, an look of accommodation and knowing from each other. So, what you tin concisely opportunity is that nan engagement has capable imaginable to resume."

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The United States began enforcing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime postulation April 13, 2026.  (Farooq NAEEM / AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking astatine nan White House Monday, Trump defended nan blockade, saying, "Right now, there’s nary fighting. Right now, we person a blockade … Iran is doing perfectly nary business, and we’re going to support it that measurement very easily."

He added that Iran’s subject capabilities had been importantly degraded, saying its "Navy has gone, their aerial unit is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone, their radar is gone and their leaders are gone."

Vice President JD Vance, who led nan U.S. delegation, pressed Iran to judge a strict "zero enrichment" argumentation and region its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. 

"The elemental truth is that we request to spot an affirmative committedness that they will not activity a atomic weapon, and they will not activity nan devices that would alteration them to quickly execute a atomic weapon," Vance said astatine a press conference successful Islamabad.

Iranian leaders rejected those demands, insisting that immoderate statement must see nan contiguous merchandise of billions of dollars successful stiff assets.

Now, with nan blockade successful place, Saeed suggested nan move whitethorn beryllium designed little arsenic a subject endgame and much arsenic leverage.

"This blockade could beryllium … a maneuver to build further unit connected Iran to negotiate," he said.

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Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news convention aft gathering pinch representatives from Pakistan and Iran successful Islamabad, Pakistan, connected April 12, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The escalation has raised concerns globally, peculiarly for countries limited connected Gulf power flows, including Pakistan.

"Everyone successful nan world must beryllium worried astir what benignant of economical antagonistic spin-offs specified a blockade would have," Saeed said.

Saeed, who until precocious sat astatine nan halfway of Pakistan’s subject leadership, framed nan Islamabad talks arsenic a captious reopening of speech aft decades of hostility.

"It is nan first clip successful 47 years … that location was engagement astatine nan highest level," he said, calling it "a awesome infinitesimal for diplomacy" and a objection of Pakistan’s expertise to support credibility pinch some Washington and Tehran.

He pointed successful peculiar to Pakistan’s service chief, Asim Munir, a fig who has drawn different attraction successful Washington. 

Trump has publically praised Munir, astatine 1 constituent calling him his "favorite section marshal," elevating his floor plan arsenic a cardinal intermediary successful location diplomacy.

Munir, who roseate done Pakistan’s intelligence ranks earlier becoming service chief, antecedently served arsenic head wide of subject intelligence and later led nan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). His profession has been defined by heavy engagement successful location information and intelligence coordination, including longstanding engagement pinch Iran.

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Security unit inspect vehicles entering nan Foreign Ministry agency successful Islamabad connected April 9, 2026. (Aamir QURESHI / AFP via Getty Images)

Those ties could beryllium captious successful nan existent crisis, according to Saeed. 

"What group do not cognize is that erstwhile he was head wide of subject intelligence … he was interacting pinch Iranians astatine aggregate levels continuously," Saeed said, describing years of nonstop engagement pinch Iran’s military, intelligence and governmental leadership, including erstwhile Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commandant Qassem Soleimani, who was killed successful a U.S. onslaught during Trump’s first term.

"He has had relationship pinch them for a agelong clip … visiting Iran often and interacting connected aggregate issues," Saeed said, adding that galore existent Iranian officials would already beryllium acquainted pinch Munir from earlier roles.

That continuity, he argued, gives Pakistan a uncommon advantage astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile general negotiated channels are strained.

"What 1 tin opportunity is that he continues to beryllium 1 fig internationally who has a individual relationship … successful nan intelligence organization successful Iran successful nan subject level and besides connected nan broadside of nan governmental leadership," Saeed said.

"So that’s a immense advantage he has connected nan different side."

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Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their presence astatine Nur Khan airbase successful Rawalpindi, Pakistan, connected April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

For Pakistan, that individual entree — mixed pinch its simultaneous narration pinch Washington — has go cardinal to its effort to position itself arsenic a reliable intermediary, moreover arsenic nan region edges person to confrontation.

At nan aforesaid time, Pakistan’s domiciled arsenic a mediator has drawn scrutiny, peculiarly fixed its longstanding position connected Israel and caller inflammatory remarks by elder officials.

When asked whether Pakistan tin beryllium seen arsenic a neutral agent while not recognizing Israel — an character straight progressive successful strikes connected Iran — Saeed downplayed nan issue, saying Israel was not portion of nan negotiated track.

"Pakistan’s position pinch respect to relations pinch Israel has been accordant since our independence," he said, adding that Islamabad’s mediation efforts were focused solely connected Washington and Tehran.

"Neither of their representatives was connected nan array … Pakistan was mediating betwixt nan U.S. and Iran," he said.

Despite nan existent escalation, Saeed maintained that negotiated channels stay open.

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Iranians respond aft a ceasefire announcement astatine nan Enqelab square, successful Tehran, connected April 8, 2026. The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire Tuesday hardly an hr earlier U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline to obliterate nan rival state was group to expire, pinch Tehran to temporarily reopen nan captious Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via Getty Images)

"There is simply a batch of abstraction … for resuming nan process," he said, suggesting talks could restart successful Islamabad aliases elsewhere if some sides displacement course.

"On Pakistan's side, from my individual knowledge of nan section marshal, they are relentless. They would not springiness up. They must not person fixed up. They must beryllium continuously successful touch pinch some sides. And they would effort their champion to person some sides that nan blockade is not going to beryllium successful their interest, successful nan liking of nan region and successful nan liking of nan world community."