Agencies
Pakistani sources announced today, Sunday, that the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, is hosting indirect talks between the United States of America and Iran, in a new development that reflects the continuation of diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing the tension between the two parties.
The Associated Press agency reported, quoting Pakistani officials, that these talks are taking place away from the spotlight, coinciding with the return of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to Islamabad, on his second visit in days, after a regional tour that led him to the Sultanate of Oman and then Russia. The two officials, who preferred not to be identified, confirmed that Araqchi stayed in Islamabad for more than three hours, noting that the indirect communication channels are still open, in light of cautious efforts to bring the views of Washington and Tehran closer. This development comes after the White House announced the cancellation of the mission to send US President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to Islamabad, to keep pace with direct talks that were expected to be held during this April, a decision that Trump justified by not making any tangible progress with the Iranian side. The US President said in a statement to Fox News that his country is open to dialogue if Iran shows a clear desire to do so, adding that Washington will not initiate the sending of new delegations at the present time, which has re-opened the debate about the future of the negotiating path between the two countries. In the same context, the independent Pakistani political analyst, Syed Muhammad Ali, considered that the delay in the talks should not be interpreted as a failure, stressing that indirect negotiations require time and patience, especially in light of the complexity of the outstanding files between the two sides. The same spokesman explained that the current truce constitutes a positive factor, pointing out that the two parties seem keen to end the tension without negative internal repercussions, despite the sensitivity of the situation and its effects on the Middle East and global energy markets. It is worth noting that Islamabad had hosted earlier this month a round of direct negotiations within the framework of a temporary truce, without resulting in a final agreement that ends the repercussions of the conflict that has been going on for months.
