ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has invited Iran’s parliament speaker and foreign minister for urgent consultations on regional developments, as Tehran reaffirmed that Islamabad remains its primary intermediary with the United States amid heightened diplomatic activity.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq extended an invitation to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading Tehran’s negotiations with Washington. Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar invited Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi. The invitations were delivered in Tehran late Monday after Dar held a telephone conversation with Araghchi.
According to the Foreign Office, “They exchanged views on regional and international developments, including the deteriorating situation in Occupied East Jerusalem.”
The exact dates for the visits have not yet been announced. A diplomatic source said both Iranian leaders had been requested to travel to Pakistan at the earliest opportunity for discussions on regional and international issues. Araghchi was in Iraq on Monday to attend Arbaeen observances scheduled for Tuesday.
The diplomatic outreach came around 36 hours after US President Donald Trump announced he had called off planned military strikes against Iran, saying allied countries had urged restraint because negotiations appeared close to producing an agreement.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly convinced Trump to suspend the planned military action. Trump also said the UAE and Qatar were among the countries that had requested the cancellation of the strikes.
Meanwhile, Iran has continued discussions with Oman regarding the future of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials say an agreement is close but have not clarified whether the strategic waterway will reopen or remain closed.
Although Pakistan has maintained a lower public profile in recent mediation efforts compared to its role in facilitating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), it has remained engaged through diplomatic back channels. Alongside Qatar, Islamabad also proposed a ceasefire plan during nearly two weeks of heightened tensions.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday reiterated that Pakistan remains the principal mediator between Tehran and Washington.
“The mediator in the discussions related to Iran and the US is Pakistan, and Qatar also helps in cases where necessary. To say that we have added a new mediator to the existing mediators is not, in the strict sense of the word, the case,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said.
Trump renews pressure on Tehran
At the same time, President Trump sharply criticised Iran’s leadership, accusing it of being “unbelievably duplicitous” after Tehran denied that negotiations with Washington were taking place.
Trump repeated his warning that Iran faced “decapitation” if diplomacy failed and said the United States would continue military pressure until there was a “deal, or total surrender”.
“I think we’re going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” Trump said, reiterating his threat to launch a large-scale military attack on Iran.
The latest exchange reflected the ongoing pattern of escalating rhetoric that has characterised the five-month standoff between Washington and Tehran.
Trump, who said on Sunday that fresh negotiations would begin “tomorrow afternoon” without identifying the venue or participants, also asserted that the US Navy retained complete control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a deal, or total surrender, is accomplished,” he said.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump claimed Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar had all urged him to abandon what he described as “the biggest attack since World War II”.
“Would I rather make a deal? I’m not looking to kill people,” Trump said, describing the diplomatic engagement as a “last chance for them to sign a good document”.
