Lebanese army chief meets Pakistani counterpart in Pakistan

The heads of the Pakistani and Lebanese armed forces met in Rawalpindi on Tuesday and agreed to expand military cooperation, a meeting that occurred amid ongoing international efforts to broker a formal end to the wider Middle East conflict. Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal met with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at Pakistan’s General Headquarters.

A statement from the Pakistani military said the two commanders discussed matters of mutual interest, the evolving regional security environment, and prospects for enhancing bilateral defense relations. The discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation, and institutional linkages. Munir reaffirmed the importance Pakistan attaches to its relations with Lebanon and underscored the army’s commitment to expanding defense collaboration.

The visit, which began when Haykal traveled to Pakistan on Saturday at Munir’s invitation, is widely seen as connected to Pakistan’s role as a mediator between the United States and Iran. A source familiar with the matter said the visit was linked to Pakistani mediation to resolve issues between the U.S. and Iran, noting that...