Bilawal warns of consequences of failed US-Iran talks

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Friday that the international community “does not have a Plan B,” warning of catastrophic human and economic consequences if talks between the United States and Iran fail.

Pakistan is set to host what could prove to be one of the most important diplomatic engagements in recent history, as top leaders from the United States and Iran arrive in Islamabad for high-stakes negotiations after a devastating six-week war that left thousands dead and pushed the global economy to the brink of recession.

The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by President Donald Trump’s top Middle East envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the Iranian side, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is expected to lead the delegation, alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.

Speaking in an interview with News from the skyBilawal said “all eyes” were on the visiting delegations, adding that the conflict had affected people in Pakistan, London, New York, the Middle East and Asia.

Asked if there was a “plan B” if the talks did not result in a formal agreement during the ceasefire period, Bilawal replied: “I think the international community does not have a plan B. Our plan A must achieve a peaceful resolution of this conflict and a more permanent peace.”

“We can somehow measure the toll of this conflict not only in terms of loss of life, but also in terms of the economic cost borne by the populations of my country and yours. So we are all hopeful,” he said.

He said the current ceasefire space should be used to move toward “a more lasting and permanent peace for the benefit of the international community.”

Read: JD Vance hopes for ‘positive’ outcome as he leaves for US-Iran talks in Islamabad

Responding to a question on Pakistan’s diplomatic role and associated challenges, Bilawal said Islamabad’s engagement was a significant achievement, adding that efforts had been underway over the past month to bring the United States and Iran to a ceasefire and outline the outline for continued dialogue.

However, he acknowledged that challenges remained, notably the trust deficit between the two parties.

“But as with diplomatic engagements and negotiations, both sides will take confidence-building measures to expand the space for dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of peace,” he said.

The PPP chairman said the scale of the conflict had shown that “a war of this nature, a war of this magnitude, is not an option.”

“The catastrophic consequences in terms of human lives and the economic consequences are there, visible to all, and it is up to us, it is up to the parties to the conflict, it is up to all the countries that would like to see this issue resolved peacefully, to push all parties to accept this peace so that we do not get drawn into a potentially wider conflict than the one we have seen over the last month,” he added.

Commenting on questions regarding speculation about a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Pakistan’s leaders and criticism over emphasis on international image, Bilawal said: “The first time I heard about Nobel Peace Prize for Pakistan was from you, and this criticism over emphasis on image as well.

Read also: From critic to negotiator: JD Vance will spearhead US efforts in ceasefire negotiations in Iran

He said Pakistan, as a neighbor of Iran and Afghanistan, had already endured decades of repercussions from the conflict and continued to face tensions in the region.

“We are in perpetual conflict with India. We absolutely do not want the conflict in Iran to be exacerbated,” he said.

“The people of Pakistan cannot afford it. I would say people around the world cannot afford it. This is the motivation of Pakistan, for all parties to achieve peace,” he added.

Bilawal further said the situation was “particularly delicate” for Pakistan economically, highlighting global concerns over possible economic shocks.

“So, as far as the price of peace is concerned, I think Pakistan and everyone would be happy to achieve peace,” concluded the former foreign minister.