The Pakistan government announced on Sunday that it would soon host talks between the United States and Iran, even though there has been no immediate reaction from either the United States or Iran, and it is unclear whether the talks will be direct or indirect.
“Pakistan is pleased that both Iran and the United States have expressed confidence in our role as a facilitator for these talks,” said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a televised speech following a meeting in Islamabad with high diplomats from Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Dar stated that the ministers approved of Pakistan’s peace efforts. Pakistan then informed that the diplomats had returned to their respective countries, and the talks were supposed to continue on Monday. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to questions, and the Iranian mission to the United Nations declined to comment.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator, thanks to its relatively good relations with both Washington and Tehran. Pakistani officials said that their public initiative followed weeks of discreet diplomacy, although they did not provide many details.
Meanwhile, in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the army would expand its offensive into Lebanon by strengthening the existing security zone in the south of the country and targeting Hezbollah, a militant group supported by Iran. However, no details were communicated publicly.
This conflict has resulted in over 3000 deaths in the past month, starting with American and Israeli strikes against Iran, which triggered Iran’s attacks on Israel and neighboring Arab states in the Gulf.
The war has also threatened oil and gas supplies, with Iran’s control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz shaking the markets.
***Context: Pakistan is facilitating talks between the US and Iran. Iran has made threats and warned against further escalation in the region. The conflict involves multiple countries and military actions.
***Fact Check: The reported death tolls and actions by various countries need to be verified by official sources for accuracy and context.
