The United States on Monday began enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian maritime traffic, sharply escalating tensions in the Gulf, just hours after high-level talks in Pakistan between Washington and Tehran collapsed without a deal.
The move, announced by President Donald Trump, came after negotiations in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough, despite what participants described as rare direct engagement between the two sides.
“Both sides say they were very close… even inches away from a resolution,” he said, based on his own knowledge and reports. Saeed retired in 2023, but remained part of the core team dealing with operational planning, internal security coordination and sensitive periods of political tension.
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“They spoke very friendly to each other. There was a show of compliance and understanding on both sides. So what you can say in short is that the engagement has sufficient potential to resume.”
The United States began enforcing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic on April 13, 2026. (Farooq NAEEM/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump defended the blockade at the White House on Monday, saying: “Right now there is no fighting. Right now we have a blockade … Iran is doing absolutely no business, and we will very easily keep it that way.”
He added that Iran’s military capabilities had been significantly compromised, saying that its “navy is gone, their air force is gone, their air defenses are gone, their radar is gone and their leaders are gone.”
Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation, urged Iran to adopt a strict “zero enrichment policy” and remove its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
“The simple fact is that we need an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and that they will not seek the tools that would allow them to rapidly develop a nuclear weapon,” Vance said at a news conference. press conference in Islamabad.
Iran’s leaders have rejected these demands, stressing that any deal must include the immediate release of billions of dollars in frozen assets.
With the blockade in place, Saeed suggested the move could be designed less as a military endgame and more as leverage.
“This blockade could be a maneuver to put further pressure on Iran to negotiate,” he said.
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Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press conference after a meeting with representatives of Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 12, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
The escalation has raised concerns worldwide, especially for countries dependent on energy flows from Gulf states, including Pakistan.
“Everyone in the world should be concerned about the negative economic impact such a blockade would have,” Saeed said.
Saeed, who until recently was central to Pakistan’s military leadership, described the Islamabad talks as a critical reopening of dialogue after decades of hostility.
“It is the first time in 47 years … that there has been engagement at the highest level,” he said, calling it “a great moment for diplomacy” and a demonstration of Pakistan’s ability to maintain credibility with both Washington and Tehran.
He pointed in particular to Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, a figure who has attracted unusual attention in Washington.
Trump has publicly praised Munir, at one point calling him his “favorite field marshal,” raising his profile as a key intermediary in regional diplomacy.
Munir, who rose through Pakistan’s intelligence services before becoming army chief, was previously director general of military intelligence and later headed the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). His career was marked by deep involvement in regional security and intelligence coordination, including long-term involvement with Iran.
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Security personnel inspect vehicles entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Islamabad on April 9, 2026. (Aamir QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)
According to Saeed, these ties could be crucial in the current crisis.
“What people don’t know is that when he was director general of military intelligence, he was in constant communication with Iranians at multiple levels,” said Saeed, describing years of direct involvement with Iran’s military, intelligence services and political leadership, including former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. attack during Trump’s first term.
“He has been in contact with them for a long time… he regularly visited Iran and interacted on multiple issues,” Saeed said, adding that many current Iranian officials already knew Munir from previous positions.
That continuity, he argued, gives Pakistan a rare advantage at a time when formal diplomatic channels are under strain.
“What you can say is that he is still a figure internationally who has a personal interaction … in the intelligence community in Iran, in the military hierarchy and also on the side of the political leadership,” Saeed said.
“So that’s a huge advantage he has on the other side.”
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Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal General Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)
For Pakistan, that personal access — combined with its concurrent relationship with Washington — has become crucial in its efforts to position itself as a credible intermediary, even as the region moves closer to confrontation.
At the same time, Pakistan’s role as a mediator is under scrutiny, especially given its long-standing position on Israel and recent inflammatory comments from senior officials.
Asked whether Pakistan could be seen as a neutral mediator without recognizing Israel – an actor directly involved in attacks on Iran – Saeed downplayed the issue and said Israel was not part of the diplomatic track.
“Pakistan’s position on relations with Israel has been consistent since our independence,” he said, adding that Islamabad’s mediation efforts were aimed solely at Washington and Tehran.
“None of their representatives were on the table… Pakistan mediated between the US and Iran,” he said.
Despite the current escalation, Saeed maintained that diplomatic channels remain open.
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Iranians react after a ceasefire announcement in Tehran’s Enqelab Square, April 8, 2026. The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, just an hour before US President Donald Trump’s deadline to destroy the rival country was set to expire, with Tehran temporarily reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via Getty Images)
“There is a lot of room … to resume the process,” he said, suggesting talks could restart in Islamabad or elsewhere if both sides changed course.
“On the Pakistan side, based on my personal knowledge of the field marshal, they are ruthless. They would not give up. They must not have given up. They must be in constant contact with both sides. And they would do their best to convince both sides that the blockade will not be in their interest, in the interest of the region and in the interest of the international community.”
