Smoke rises over Azadi Square following a strike, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in Tehran on April 6. Photo: Reuters
Efforts are underway to facilitate negotiations between the United States and Iran, two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the discussions said. Reuters Tuesday, as U.S. strikes against Iran intensified and President Donald Trump’s deadline to unleash “hell” approached.
However, one of the sources, a senior security official, said Iran’s nighttime strikes on Saudi industrial facilities linked to U.S. companies threatened to derail the negotiations. If Saudi Arabia were to retaliate, negotiations would be over, the source said, adding that it could drag Pakistan into the conflict under its defense pact with Riyadh, which obliges the two nations to fight for each other in the event of war.
The second source with knowledge of the talks said Iran was “walking on thin ice” and the next three to four hours were critical for the future of the dialogue.
Pakistan has been the main broker for the proposals shared by the two sides, but there have been no signs of compromise.
“We are in contact with the Iranians. They have recently shown flexibility in being able to join the talks, but at the same time they are taking hard lines as a precondition for any negotiations,” the Pakistani security source said. He added that Islamabad was persuading Tehran to start negotiations without preconditions.
Read: Top military officers condemn Iranian attacks on Saudi facilities, calling them ‘unnecessary escalation’ spoiling mediation efforts
Separately, Iran’s ambassador in Islamabad said Pakistan’s facilitation of talks with the United States to end the war in the Middle East was “approaching a critical and sensitive stage.”
Pakistan’s positive and productive efforts in goodwill and good office to end the war are approaching a critical and sensitive stage…
Stay tuned for more
– Reza Amiri Moghadam (@IranAmbPak) April 7, 2026
Reza Amiri Moghadam’s remarks came as Iran sent a proposal on Monday outlining its position on ending the war, rejecting a temporary ceasefire and instead calling for a permanent resolution.
Iran has transmitted its response to a US proposal via Pakistan after two weeks of high-level deliberations.
Later, US President Donald Trump called the Iranian response a “significant step,” even if it remains insufficient.
“It’s not enough, but it’s a very important step,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Pakistan still hopes for a “positive response” from Iran despite Tehran’s “insistence on preconditions” ahead of Trump’s deadline on the Strait of Hormuz, a senior government official said. Anadolu today.
“The situation has become extremely complex and sensitive because the next few hours are crucial. We still hope that we will get a positive response from Tehran,” the official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Trump threatened Tuesday that “an entire civilization would die tonight,” as his deadline for reaching a ceasefire deal with Iran is hours away, at 8 p.m. ET (0000 GMT Wednesday).
Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator between the United States and Iran, leveraging its good relations with Washington and Tehran, as well as its strategic and defense partnerships with China and Saudi Arabia.
Islamabad’s proposal, according to Pakistani sources, includes an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within two to three weeks to finalize a broader settlement, as well as subsequent in-person talks in Islamabad.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said “as of a day ago, messages were still being exchanged between Iran and the United States through mediators.” A senior Iranian source said Tehran had rejected a proposal for a temporary ceasefire, with talks dependent on an end to US-Israeli strikes and compensation for damages.
The Foreign Office said today that the strikes on Saudi Arabia were a dangerous escalation.
“Such unjustified aggressions have serious repercussions as they spoil the ongoing peaceful options and enabling environment,” a military statement added after the top commanders met with the army chief.
Pakistan wants to avoid being drawn into war, which could wreak havoc along its shared western border with Iran.
Analysts say the defense deal may not trigger immediate military action, but could be activated if the conflict escalates.
Iran’s willingness to risk embarrassing Pakistan at a time when “negotiating a ceasefire is crucial reveals the extent to which Tehran is engaged in a tit-for-tat strategy that punishes the Gulf for U.S. and Israeli strikes,” said Adam Weinstein, an expert on Pakistan, Afghanistan and U.S. policy at the Quincy Institute.
