Asim Munir told Trump US blockade is hurdle to Iran talks. Here's his response

During a telephonic conversation with President Trump, Pakistan's Asim Munir flagged the US blockade of Iranian ports as an obstacle to talks with Iran. Trump said he would look into the advice.

In Short

• Pakistan proposed second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad
• Iran refused to take part, citing ceasefire violation and naval blockade
• Asim Munir told Trump on call that US blockade is a hurdle to talks

A fresh diplomatic push between the United States and Iran has run into turbulence, with Pakistan army chief and Donald Trump's "favourite field marshal" Asim Munir stepping in to flag what he called a key obstacle to the second round of peace talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad.

Asim Munir spoke to President Donald Trump over the phone and warned that the US blockade of Iranian ports was a "hurdle to second round of peace talks in Islamabad," news agency Reuters reported citing Pakistani security sources.

Trump, the source said, responded that he would consider the advice.

Hours after the reported conversation, a White House correspondent, who said she spoke directly to US President Donald Trump, claimed that Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir "did not recommend anything" to him regarding the blockade.

The call came at a fragile moment. Hopes for a follow-up round of negotiations between the US and Iran in Islamabad have dimmed after Tehran indicated it would not participate, dealing a setback to efforts aimed at extending a ceasefire in the Middle East conflict now nearing two months.

Munir's outreach followed his recent three-day visit to Tehran, where he met senior Iranian leadership, including the President, foreign minister and top military officials, in what Pakistan described as an effort to push for de-escalation.

Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had travelled to Islamabad for talks with US representatives, the highest-level direct engagement between the two sides in decades. That round ended without a breakthrough.

Tensions escalated over the weekend after the US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel it accused of attempting to bypass its port blockade. Tehran's military warned of retaliation, while Araghchi told his Pakistani counterpart that US actions against Iranian shipping signalled bad faith ahead of the proposed talks.

Officials in Tehran cited "excessive demands of the US", shifting positions, and the ongoing naval blockade of its ports as reasons for pulling out, calling the measures a violation of the truce.

At a high-level meeting, Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref criticised Washington's approach as inconsistent, accusing it of pushing for negotiations under pressure while simultaneously escalating its posture.

Meanwhile, the White House said Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of marathon talks last week, was preparing to travel to Islamabad along with other senior officials. Pakistan had already tightened security in the capital in anticipation of the meeting, which now appears unlikely.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump threatened to destroy civilian infrastructure in Iran if it did not accept the US proposal. He said the United States would "knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge" in Iran.

Despite ongoing back-channel negotiations, both sides remain divided on key issues, including Iran's nuclear enrichment programme, its regional proxies such as Hezbollah, and control over the Strait of Hormuz.

- Ends