Dar welcomes Araghchi’s clarification that Iran never refused Islamabad talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iran was “deeply grateful to Pakistan” for its mediation efforts in the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran, adding that they “never refused to go to Islamabad” for negotiations.

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His statement comes amid reports that mediation efforts between the United States and Iran narrowly missed a breakthrough twice.

Pakistan is actively positioning itself as a neutral facilitator in a context of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, offering Islamabad as a venue for dialogue.

The move reflects Islamabad’s broader efforts to ease regional tensions, particularly in the wake of escalating hostilities following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.

Reacting to the development, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he appreciated the clarification from his “dear brother Araghchi”.

Separately, security sources said Araghchi’s statement countered a disinformation campaign fueled by some Western and Indian media outlets, as well as their affiliates in Pakistan, regarding Iran’s willingness to engage diplomatically.

They reaffirmed that through constructive engagement with all key stakeholders, Pakistan continues to pursue regional peace and stability, thereby strengthening its reputation as an honest broker in international diplomacy.

The proposed meeting in Islamabad was seen as a key opportunity for de-escalation amid growing regional tensions. According to sources, despite extensive preparations, the engagements were postponed at the last minute as both sides sought more time for internal consultations.

Earlier, in a statement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the ministry had taken note of several reports in the media, especially on social media, citing so-called official government sources regarding the ongoing conflict in the region and Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and dialogue.

“We categorically reject these false insinuations attributed to so-called official sources as baseless and figments of the imagination. Any attribution to official sources in this regard is incorrect. It is concerning that the briefing held on Friday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was distorted, with references to issues that were neither discussed nor raised,” he said.

Andrabi added that at a time of heightened regional sensitivity, diplomacy required both discretion and accountability. He urged all media platforms to exercise due diligence, avoid speculation and rely exclusively on official statements and media readings for accurate and timely information.

Behind-the-scenes peace efforts continue

Behind-the-scenes efforts to arrange talks between the United States and Iran are still underway, despite previous attempts to convene a high-level meeting in Islamabad that failed to materialize, sources familiar with the matter said.

Pakistan had quietly facilitated preparations for a possible round of direct engagement involving a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian officials.

The proposed meeting, to be held in Islamabad, was seen as a potential opening towards de-escalation amid heightened regional tensions.

However, despite preparations being advanced several times in recent days, planned engagements were postponed at the last minute as both sides needed more time for internal consultations, sources said.

“Efforts continue and there is still a willingness to explore diplomatic options,” one source noted, adding that the situation remains fluid given broader regional dynamics.

The peace efforts come as Pakistan hosted talks with Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Sunday (March 29), as part of its efforts to end the war in Iran.

The first discussions focused on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to navigation, sources familiar with the matter said.

Foreign ministers from the three regional powers landed in Islamabad last week for talks as Iran warned the United States against launching a ground attack and global oil prices soared amid continued fighting between Iran, the United States and Israel.

At the time, the countries meeting in Pakistan presented proposals to Washington related to maritime traffic and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, said five sources familiar with the matter. Reutersas part of broader efforts to stabilize maritime flows.

A day before these talks, DPM/FM Dar spoke with FM Araghchi, calling for diplomacy and dialogue as the only path to peace.