A staff member removes the Iranian flag from the stage after a group photo with foreign ministers and representatives of the United States, Iran, China, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union during Iran’s nuclear talks at the Vienna International Center in Vienna, Austria July 14, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan is engaged in high-level contacts to bring Iran and the US back to the negotiating table. Negotiators from the two warring countries may meet again in Islamabad for a second round of talks next week.
According to highly placed sources in the federal capital, contacts are underway to revive stalled talks between the US and Iran, and talks could be held again before the end of the two-week ceasefire on April 21.
They said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir are making frantic efforts to secure the second round of talks that could end the Gulf War.
In some high-level meetings held in Islamabad, indications have been given to prepare the next round of talks between the top leadership of the two countries, which held the first direct talks in 47 years in Islamabad on April 10.
According to some sources, the next round of talks may take place in Islamabad on April 16.
But on the same date, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Prime Minister will go on a one-day visit to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
After nearly six weeks of conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, and less than two hours before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Shehbaz announced on April 8 that both sides had agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
On April 11, an American delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation led by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, held a marathon session in Islamabad to find a peaceful solution to a conflict that started on February 28.
The United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement.
Hoping for a positive outcome of the conversation
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to play a key role in promoting lasting peace in the region, while expressing hope that the recent direct talks between the US and Iran would yield positive results.
Chairing an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister expressed satisfaction with progress in the talks and said Pakistan remained optimistic about a constructive outcome.
Referring to the high-level talks, Shehbaz noted that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts helped bring both sides to the table – calling it a major achievement after decades of estrangement.
He said delegations from both countries engaged in nearly 21 hours of direct talks – the first such engagement in 47 years. Terming the development as a historic moment, he said Pakistan now had an opportunity to help transform the ceasefire into lasting peace.
The prime minister said the Islamabad talks helped remove the clouds of war hanging over the region and created prospects for peace amid global economic uncertainty.
He added that agreements like the Oslo Accords, the Geneva Accords and the Good Friday Agreement had historically taken years to materialize, but Pakistan’s efforts facilitated a ground-breaking dialogue between two adversaries.
He also thanked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump for accepting Pakistan’s request for a two-week ceasefire.
The prime minister highlighted Pakistan’s historic role in diplomacy and recalled its efforts to facilitate rapprochement between the US and China in the early 1970s. He said both US and Iranian delegations appreciated Pakistan’s sincerity and constructive role.
Shehbaz Sharif further said that he had received calls from leaders including the Japanese Prime Minister and several European counterparts who recognized Pakistan’s peace efforts. He described the development as a matter of pride for the nation.
He credited the achievement to the collective efforts of the government and the prayers of the people, while specially praising Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their tireless work.
He noted that officials worked through nights to ensure progress at critical moments — efforts he said would be remembered in golden words.
Earlier, the federal cabinet unanimously passed a resolution expressing gratitude to the Almighty for giving Pakistan the opportunity to play a pivotal role in promoting global peace.
The cabinet hailed the country’s leadership for bringing the two sides together and ending nearly half a century of impasse, and expressed hope that these sincere efforts would lead to lasting peace worldwide.
Prime Minister talks to Canadian counterpart
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a phone call from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who congratulated Shehbaz on Pakistan’s peace efforts that culminated in the temporary ceasefire and led to the recently held US-Iran talks.
While appreciating Canada’s backing and support for Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, the Prime Minister highlighted that the US-Iran talks were an important step towards peace and assured that Pakistan would continue its efforts to encourage both parties to maintain the ceasefire and make meaningful progress towards de-escalation.
The two leaders also exchanged views on Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations and expressed their desire to work together to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, clean energy, mines and minerals as well as increase Canadian investment in Pakistan.
The Prime Minister reiterated his invitation to the Canadian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan officially at his convenience. Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination, an official statement said.
PM reviews the fuel situation
Shehbaz also chaired a review meeting on oil reserves amid a fuel crisis in the wake of the war and led continuous monitoring of oil consumption in the country.
He said due to consistent monitoring of oil consumption and reserves along with an improved strategy, a shortage crisis had not emerged despite regional tensions. The Prime Minister added that the measures taken to provide relief to the public would continue.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on the country’s current oil reserves and future needs.
The briefing noted that sufficient quantities of petroleum products are available, but austerity must be maintained to ensure conservation. It was further informed that arrangements have already been made for oil imports in light of future needs.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and senior officials.
Minister anticipates negotiations
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the next round of talks between Iran and the US is expected soon, with positive progress being observed.
Speaking to the media outside the parliament building, the minister noted that there was still scope for renewed dialogue between Tehran and Washington, adding that after the latest round of talks there had been a sense of satisfaction, with no negative developments reported so far.
“Only positive progress has been observed,” he noted, indicating that ongoing diplomatic efforts were moving in a constructive direction.
Responding to a question on whether Pakistan would play a decisive role in shaping the region’s future, Asif said the final decisions rest with the Almighty.
Commenting on India, the defense minister struck a critical tone, saying there appeared to be unrest there, with mixed reactions emerging.
He maintained that the broader diplomatic process in the region was developing positively and that continued negotiations were improving the prospects for peace and stability.
