As armed clashes between the United States and Iran escalate over control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Interior Minister will visit Pakistan, the mediator. Some analysts say attempts to ease tensions through a mediator are continuing.
AFP reported on the 20th, citing a Pakistan Interior Ministry source, that Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni is scheduled to visit the capital, Islamabad, that day.
Minister Momeni plans to hold talks with senior Pakistani officials. However, Pakistan did not specify whether the visit is directly related to mediation efforts to halt hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Earlier, Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also confirmed Minister Momeni's visit to Pakistan. He noted that the trip is "a visit to discuss pending issues between the two countries," drawing a line against the possibility of negotiations with the United States.
However, Spokesperson Baghaei said that, through mediators such as Qatar in recent days, proposals aimed at easing tensions with the United States were conveyed to Iran. He said, "It is true that the diplomatic authorities have been very active in the past few days," adding, "It is correct that some mediators' ideas have been conveyed to Iran." It amounted to acknowledging that quiet diplomatic contacts are continuing between the United States and Iran.
Reuters reported the same day, citing a senior Iranian official who requested anonymity, that mediators conveyed a "10-day cease-fire plan" to the United States and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint through which a significant share of the world's crude oil shipments pass, and there is growing concern that a prolonged military clash in the area would inevitably deliver a major shock to international oil prices and global supply chains. As both sides continue military confrontations, attention is on whether the diplomatic moves by mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar can become a breakthrough to prevent an escalation.