A staff member removes the Iranian flag from the stage after a group photo with foreign ministers and representatives of the United States, Iran, China, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union during the Iran nuclear negotiations at the International Center in Vienna, Austria, July 14, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan is engaged in high-level contacts to bring Iran and the United States back to the negotiating table. Negotiators from the two warring countries could meet again in Islamabad for a second round of talks next week.
According to highly placed sources in the federal capital, contacts are underway to restart stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran and could resume before the end of the two-week ceasefire on April 21.
They said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir were making intense efforts to secure the second round of talks that could end the Gulf War.
In some high-level meetings held in Islamabad, indications were given to prepare for the next round of talks between the top leaders of the two countries who held their first direct negotiations in 47 years on April 10 in Islamabad.
According to sources, the next round of negotiations could take place in Islamabad on April 16.
However, on the same date, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Prime Minister will undertake one-day visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
After nearly six weeks of conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran and less than two hours before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Prime Minister Shehbaz announced on April 8 that the two sides had agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
On April 11, a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation led by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf held a marathon session in Islamabad to find a peaceful solution to a conflict that began on February 28.
The United States and Iran have not reached an agreement.
Hope for a positive outcome of the negotiations
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to playing a key role in promoting lasting peace in the region, while expressing hope that recent direct talks between the United States and Iran would yield positive results.
Chairing an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet, the prime minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of the negotiations and said Pakistan remained optimistic of a constructive outcome.
Referring to the high-level talks, Shehbaz noted that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts were instrumental in bringing both sides to the table, terming them a major achievement after decades of separation.
He said delegations from the two countries engaged in nearly 21 hours of direct negotiations, the first such engagement in 47 years. He termed the development a historic moment and said Pakistan now had the opportunity to help transform the ceasefire into lasting peace.
The prime minister said the Islamabad talks helped dispel war clouds hovering over the region and created prospects for peace amid global economic uncertainty.
He added that throughout history, agreements such as the Oslo Accords, Geneva Accords and the Good Friday Agreement took years to materialize, but Pakistan’s efforts facilitated a decisive dialogue between two adversaries.
He also thanked Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump for agreeing to Pakistan’s two-week ceasefire request.
Highlighting Pakistan’s historic role in diplomacy, the Prime Minister recalled its efforts to facilitate rapprochement between the United States and China in the early 1970s. He said the American and Iranian delegations appreciated Pakistan’s sincerity and constructive role.
Shehbaz Sharif further said that he had received calls from leaders, including the Japanese Prime Minister and several European counterparts, recognizing Pakistan’s peace efforts. He described the development as a matter of pride for the nation.
He attributed the achievement to the collective efforts of the government and prayers of the people, while specially commending Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their tireless work.
He stressed that officials worked through the night to ensure progress at critical moments – efforts he said would be remembered.
Earlier, the federal cabinet unanimously passed a resolution expressing gratitude to the Almighty for granting Pakistan the opportunity to play a pivotal role in promoting world peace.
The government praised the country’s leaders for bringing the two sides closer together and ending nearly half a century of stalemate, and expressed hope that these sincere efforts would lead to lasting peace across the world.
PM meets with Canadian counterpart
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a phone call from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney who congratulated Shehbaz for Pakistan’s peace efforts that resulted in the temporary ceasefire and led to the recently held talks between the United States and Iran.
While appreciating Canada’s support for Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, the Prime Minister highlighted that the US-Iran negotiations were an important step towards peace and assured that Pakistan would continue its efforts to urge both sides to maintain the ceasefire and make significant progress towards de-escalation.
The two leaders also exchanged views on Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations and expressed their desire to work together to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, clean energy, mining and minerals as well as to increase Canadian investments in Pakistan.
The Prime Minister reiterated his invitation to the Canadian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan officially at his convenience. The two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination, an official statement said.
Prime Minister reviews fuel situation
Shehbaz also chaired a meeting to review oil reserves amid the post-war oil crisis and led continuous monitoring of oil consumption in the country.
He said that thanks to constant monitoring of oil consumption and reserves, as well as an improved strategy, no shortage crisis had emerged despite regional tensions. The Prime Minister added that the measures taken to relieve the population would continue.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on the country’s current oil reserves and its future needs.
The briefing noted that sufficient quantities of petroleum products are available, but austerity must be maintained to ensure conservation. It was further informed that arrangements for oil imports had already been made in view of future requirements.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and senior officials.
Minister predicts talks
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Monday that the next round of Iran-US negotiations was expected soon, and that positive progress had been observed.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament, the minister noted that there remained a possibility of resumption of dialogue between Tehran and Washington, adding that after the last round of talks, there had been a feeling of satisfaction, with no negative developments reported so far.
“Only positive progress has been observed,” he stressed, indicating that ongoing diplomatic efforts are moving in a constructive direction.
Responding to a question whether Pakistan would play a decisive role in shaping the future of the region, Asif said the final decisions lie with the Almighty.
Speaking on India, the defense minister struck a critical tone, saying there appeared to be unease there, with varied reactions.
He said the broader diplomatic process in the region was progressing positively and continued negotiations strengthened prospects for peace and stability.
