Both sides are actively engaged in channel diplomacy through Pakistan to reach an agreement, Pakistani sources said
Iran’s National News Agency said Iran will not participate in the second round of talks with the United States to be held in Islamabad. PHOTO: APA NEWS X
Away from the media spotlight, Pakistan is quietly working to break the ongoing impasse between the United States and Iran, focusing on finding a new formula for a long-awaited deal on the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear program, two government sources familiar with the matter said. Anatolia on Wednesday.
“Both sides are actively engaged in back-channel diplomacy, brokering formulas and counter-formulas through Pakistan to reach an agreement,” a source said, adding that the current talks were focused on the nearly closed Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear issue.
However, the sources did not give details of the formulas from either side and said Pakistan’s focus was on finding a “middle ground” on the two simmering issues.
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Washington and Tehran are currently deadlocked over a new Iran peace proposal put forward by Pakistan following two visits to Islamabad last week by Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister.
The proposal offered to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting its blockade of Iranian ports.
Tehran has also suggested that talks on its nuclear program should be postponed until the next round of discussions, an offer that President Donald Trump has “so far shown no interest in accepting”, according to sources.
“Nothing [in the formulae] is final as exchanges are underway,” the source said.
“Hopefully, the two sides will reach a common ground soon,” the source added, saying FM Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were “personally engaged” in the ongoing backdoor diplomacy to break the deadlock.
The two have actively participated in the mediation process, as CDF Munir has spoken with Trump several times in recent weeks.
“Iran’s current position is that since the nuclear issue is a complex and [it] requires long and comprehensive talks, the Strait of Hormuz issue should be discussed in the first phase, which is easier to resolve. However, the US side does not agree with the proposal and wants an agreement on both issues simultaneously,” the source said.
“However, Trump is still discussing the proposal with his advisers,” they added
Little chance of war resuming
Pakistan hosted the first round of talks between Washington and Tehran on 11-12 April, but failed to make an agreement to end the war.
The talks followed a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan on April 8, which was later extended by Trump.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said today that Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts were continuing “consistently” to bring about a negotiated solution to the conflict that has crippled global energy supplies and daily life in the wider Middle East.
Downplaying the chances of war resuming, Pakistani sources appeared confident the ongoing ceasefire would continue despite “hard-hitting” statements from both sides.
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“It is a nerve-wracking game between the two sides. Otherwise, there are fewer chances of a resumption of war by the US despite a reported military buildup in the Middle East, which Tehran sees as a psychological tactic,” a source said.
“Iran’s impression is that due to already cut off energy supplies worldwide, growing opposition to war in the US and from its European allies, and Trump’s dwindling approval ratings, are major obstacles to resuming the war. That is why it (Tehran) does not appear to be in a hurry,” the source added.
Washington believes Iran’s “increasing” economic difficulties will force the Islamic republic to reach a deal that suits the United States, the source said.
“Forget about media statements. Both sides have to satisfy their domestic audiences,” another source said.
Nuclear issues and regional security frameworks
Aragchi’s recent trips to Pakistan, Oman and Russia and phone calls with his Saudi, Egyptian, French and Qatari counterparts focused on the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear issue, sources said.
The United States has already rejected an offer from Moscow to keep Iran’s enriched uranium, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. India today earlier this month.
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Another focus of the Moscow visit was to seek guarantees for the implementation of any potential agreement “in letter and spirit” with the United States. According to sources, Iran wants Russian President Vladimir Putin as a guarantor of the possible deal, especially to ensure that there will be no US and Israeli attacks in the future.
Apart from talks with the US, the Islamic Republic is also discussing a “regional security framework” with regional nations to defend the region against any “external aggression”, a move sources see as premature due to several factors, including US economic and military influence and security agreements with the Gulf nations, international sanctions against Tehran, and strained Iran-Arab attacks in connection with US-related attacks in several of the Arab countries, especially between the US and Tehran countries. Israeli attacks.
