- 21-hour talks reflect the seriousness of both delegations: FO.
- Pakistan maintains continuous contact with global partners: FO.
- Lebanon ceasefire seen as crucial for regional stability: FO.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday urged the media against speculation about the schedule for the second round of talks between the US and Iran, saying that the schedule for the upcoming talks has not been announced yet.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andarabi, holding a weekly briefing, declined to share details of diplomatic engagements and stressed the need for trust and confidentiality. “Had we shared such information, it would have been a breach of trust,” he said.
“The important thing is that both sides are willing to engage and the dialogue continues,” he said, adding that details of delegations and participation were secondary and an internal matter for the parties concerned.
His remarks came amid reports that negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week, five sources said Reutersjust days after the initial highest-level talks between the two countries in decades ended without conclusions.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on April 14 that talks between Washington and Tehran could resume in the next two days and that “we are more likely to go” to Pakistan, reported New York Post.
The previous meeting in Islamabad, held three days after last Wednesday’s ceasefire announcement, marked the first direct meeting between US and Iranian officials in more than a decade and the highest engagement since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf led their respective delegations in the latest round of talks to resolve a range of issues, including the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit point for global energy supplies that Iran has effectively blocked but the US has promised to reopen, as well as Iran’s international nuclear program and Iran’s nuclear program.
The trilateral ‘Islamabad Talks’ lasted nearly 21 hours after beginning on the afternoon of April 11, reflecting the complexity and high stakes involved.
Despite extensive discussions, the first round ended without a formal agreement. However, officials in Islamabad saw the meeting as an important step in opening direct channels of communication between Washington and Tehran.
Separately, a proposal has been shared with both Washington and Tehran to send delegations to resume talks, Reuters reported, citing sources, as Islamabad continues to coordinate with both sides on the timing of the next round, which could take place over the weekend.
This development echoes Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s earlier remarks, in which he noted that while the first round of talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad remained inconclusive, Pakistan’s efforts to bridge the gap between the two sides continue, with diplomatic channels actively engaged.
Pakistan’s push to bring Iran and the United States to the negotiating table for their highest-level face-to-face talks in decades to end weeks of war has drawn international praise.
‘Neither breakthrough nor collapse’
Addressing the media today, FO spokesman Andarabi said negotiations between the US and Iran continued in a “serious and constructive” manner and described the outcome as neither a “breakthrough nor a breakdown”.
“There was neither a breakthrough nor a breakdown,” he said, adding that the two delegations engaged in 21 hours of continuous talks, while the overall negotiation process stretched beyond 24 hours.
He added that nuclear issues remained among the key issues discussed in the talks.
He noted that such prolonged engagement on complex issues reflected “extraordinary commitment” on both sides. “The seriousness, determination and positive attitude of the participants should be appreciated,” he added, highlighting that leadership from both countries, along with mediators, remained present throughout.
The spokesman called the round “historically significant” and said the role played by the leadership of all three countries deserved recognition.
The spokesman said Pakistan would continue to act as a mediator and facilitator and keep communication channels open between Tehran and Washington.
“All diplomatic efforts, including the Islamabad talks, are part of a continuous process,” Andarabi said, noting that high-level engagements in Tehran and visiting delegations were also part of this broader effort.
He added that Pakistan had maintained contact with global leaders through telephone diplomacy ahead of the talks and would continue to engage international partners.
“Pakistan’s position remains in favor of peace, stability and prosperity,” he said, reiterating that Islamabad took its allies and friendly countries into confidence while welcoming the support of global powers, including Russia.
Highlighting Pakistan’s wider diplomatic reach, he said the country had actively participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (SCO-RATS) and hosted a meeting of senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt in Islamabad.
He also confirmed that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Chief of Defense Forces (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir was in Iran as part of ongoing engagements.
Lebanon situation
The spokesman strongly condemned Israeli attacks in Lebanon and called for an immediate end to hostilities.
He said Lebanon’s ceasefire was part of the negotiations and was seen in the wider context of the regional peace process.
“Signs of improvement on the Israel-Lebanon front over the past two days are encouraging,” he said, adding that de-escalation would help create a favorable environment for dialogue.
“Peace in Lebanon and an end to armed actions are essential,” she noted, stressing that reduced tensions could support progress in negotiations.
The wider conflict in the region began with the US-Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February. Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran on March 2, triggering an Israeli offensive that has killed more than 2,000 people and forced 1.2 million from their homes, according to Lebanese authorities.
Iran says Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon must be part of any deal to end the wider war in the Middle East. Washington has pushed back, saying there is no connection between the two sets of talks.
