Commander of the Li Army Visits Pakistan, Possibly Related to US-Iran Negotiations

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, June 10 - The Pakistani military said on the 9th that Army Chief General Munir met with visiting Lebanese Army Commander-in-Chief Rudolf Haikal in Islamabad, and both sides agreed to strengthen defense cooperation. According to informed sources, Haikal's visit may be related to the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran.

The Pakistani military media issued a statement saying that Munir and Haikal discussed "issues of mutual concern, the evolving regional security situation, defense cooperation, and the prospects for strengthening bilateral military relations." The statement quoted Munir as saying that Pakistan is committed to expanding defense cooperation with the Lebanese armed forces.

This meeting comes at a time when negotiations between the U.S. and Israel are at a standstill. Lebanese sources told AFP that this visit is linked to a "broader peace process," implying a connection to the U.S.-Iran negotiations. Recently, Pakistan has been playing a mediating role between the U.S. and Iran, promoting an end to the months-long conflict.

After the outbreak of the Iranian conflict on February 28, Hezbollah, as Iran's main regional ally, began launching rockets into northern Israel on March 2. In response, Israel launched intense airstrikes on southern Lebanon, eastern Lebanon, and the capital Beirut, and conducted ground military operations in southern Lebanon. Reports indicate that Iran insists on linking the ceasefire in Lebanon with the U.S.-Iran negotiations, while the U.S. hopes to separate the two issues. (Gao Bingbing)