TEHRAN: Iran on Saturday dismissed reports that it had refused to visit Islamabad for Pakistan-mediated talks to end the Middle East war, saying it is grateful for Islamabad’s peace efforts. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, referring to a report in a US media outlet claiming Tehran refused to hold talks with US officials in Islamabad, said it misrepresented his country’s position.
On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran told mediators that it was not willing to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and that the US demands were unacceptable. However, Araghchi, in a post on X, expressed gratitude to Pakistan for its efforts to bring an end to the war in the region, saying Iran “never refused to go to Islamabad”.”What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” he wrote. In response, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar lauded Araghchi for the clarification.”Truly appreciate your clarification, my Dear Brother,” he wrote in a post.
Pakistan emerged as a key mediator in one of the region’s worst conflicts, which erupted after joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. The war has since resulted in a sharp increase in global fuel and energy costs, triggered by the effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Tehran. Apart from relaying messages between Washington and Tehran, Pakistan also hosted key regional ministers — from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt — on March 31, as part of joint efforts to end the war.
Following the quadrilateral meeting in Islamabad, DPM Dar also held a high-level bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. The meeting’s five-point initiative for peace included the immediate cessation of hostilities, the start of talks as soon as possible, security of non-military targets and shipping lanes, and primacy of the United Nations Charter.
On April 2, the Foreign Office said Pakistan was intensifying diplomatic engagement with the United States to promote de-escalation and facilitate a path towards meaningful negotiations.
“Pakistan is actively working to create a conducive environment for de-escalation and dialogue,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad, adding that the next phase would focus on meaningful negotiations among relevant stakeholders.
