Pakistan races to prevent US-Iran escalation
• Naqvi travels to Tehran for 2nd time in a week to break deadlock, meets Iranian president, IRGC chief • Trump claims talks in ‘final stages’, warns of renewed hostilities if deal not reached • Iran warns confrontation will ‘go beyond Middle East’ if war resumes; Pezeshkian says ‘all paths’ for talks remain open • Saudi FM backs Pakistani mediation, praises Trump for giving diplomacy a chance ISLAMABAD: As the US and Iran continue to trade threats, putting their fragile ceasefire at risk, Pakistan has stepped up its diplomatic efforts to break the deadlock, sending its emissary — Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi — to Tehran for the second time in less than a week to resuscitate negotiations. The minister landed in the Iranian capital with a “crucial message” for the Iranian leadership, reflecting the urgency of the mediation efforts amid fears that the ceasefire could unravel if negotiations remained at a standstill. Diplomatic sources said Pakistan was continuing to relay messages between Tehran and Washington, but differences over Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, the Strait of Hormuz, and wider regional security concerns linked to Tehran’s missile capabilities and allied armed groups continued to impede progress. The latest round of contacts is taking place under heightened pressure from the US and its Middle East allies. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said talks in Iran were in the final stages, and also threatened to resume strikes if a deal is not reached in a “limited timeframe”. Iran, meanwhile, warned of confrontation beyond the Middle East in the case of a US attack but also insisted that all paths were open to avert the resumption of hostilities. According to diplomatic observers, Naqvi’s meetings in Tehran during this trip, including with President Pezeshkian and Gen Vahidi, remained focused on Pakistan’s attempts to preserve the narrow opening for negotiatio...
Original source: Dawn Pakistan