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Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir reportedly leveraged commercial connections with a high-ranking Iranian military commander to negotiate a covert pact between Tehran and Riyadh, resulting in a halt to Iranian strikes against the Gulf state, according to a report by The Times of Israel.
The publication cited three unnamed sources who knew of the developments, including a Middle East diplomat, a regional intelligence official, and another individual privy to the discussions. According to the report, the arrangement was established in late March, coinciding with the initial phase of the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. During the opening stage of the hostilities, Saudi Arabia was subjected to recurrent Iranian missile strikes. However, the report noted that these assaults ceased once the arrangement was concluded. The report claimed that Asim Munir utilised a joint oil transport operation with Ahmad Vahidi, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as leverage throughout the talks. The commercial entity has reportedly been moving Iranian oil into Pakistan since late last year, operating despite international sanctions and restrictions on Iranian energy exports. This venture reportedly produced substantial financial returns for both parties, particularly while Iran faced a US maritime blockade impacting its commercial shipping and oil exports. Citing one of the officials, the report stated that Asim Munir cautioned Vahidi that persistent strikes on Saudi territory could imperil the future of the joint oil operation. Following this communication, Iran reportedly refrained from executing further missile attacks against Saudi Arabia. A regional intelligence official quoted in the report indicated that Islamabad aimed to bolster its strategic alliance with Riyadh by acting as a pivotal broker during the regional crisis, thereby increasing Saudi reliance on Pakistan. Conversely, a Middle East diplomat voiced criticism over the reported pact, contending that it effectively rewarded Iran's military hostility towards adjacent nations. The diplomat remarked that the understanding "legitimised ransom payments" by enabling Tehran to extract concessions from regional states seeking to shield themselves from becoming targets in the wider conflict. These claims remain independently unverified. Furthermore, official representatives from Pakistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia have not issued any public statements regarding the alleged understanding. (ANI)
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