Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has clarified that Tehran never declined the opportunity to engage in talks with the United States in Islamabad, countering misrepresentations by US media. He expressed gratitude towards Pakistan for its mediation efforts and emphasized that Iran’s primary concern is securing a definitive and lasting resolution to the conflict imposed on it.
Araghchi shared his statement on the social media platform X, accompanied by a video depicting Iranian women waving Pakistani flags and chanting slogans in support of Pakistan. He stressed that Iran’s position has been inaccurately portrayed, reaffirming the country’s openness to dialogue under appropriate conditions.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to facilitating dialogue between the US and Iran despite acknowledging certain challenges. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, highlighted these obstacles during a weekly briefing in Islamabad but did not provide specific details. His remarks came shortly after US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening to bomb the country “back to the Stone Ages” if it did not agree to Washington’s terms for a peace agreement.
Pakistan continues to lead a multinational initiative aimed at fostering negotiations between the two nations. Andrabi emphasized Islamabad’s dedication to creating an environment conducive to meaningful discussions among all relevant parties. Both the US and Iran have reportedly expressed confidence in Pakistan’s role as a neutral intermediary in this sensitive process.
In a significant development, a senior Pakistani official revealed that efforts to broker talks nearly succeeded twice in recent days. A US delegation, headed by Vice President JD Vance, was prepared to travel to Islamabad for direct talks with Iranian officials. However, these visits were postponed after Iran requested additional time for internal consultations and ultimately chose not to proceed at the last moment.
Pakistan has positioned itself as an impartial facilitator amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, offering to host dialogue as hostilities intensify following recent US and Israeli strikes targeting Iranian positions. The official noted, “We were very close, twice within the last ten days, to hosting a critical meeting,” adding that while the US demonstrated readiness to engage, Iran remained cautious about entering negotiations under the current circumstances.
