Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan has called on the United States and Iran to move toward direct negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, emphasizing that the most effective path is a framework allowing for face-to-face dialogue.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad stands ready to participate in any format of diplomacy but encourages the two sides to engage as directly as possible.
The comments follow a series of indirect talks held in Muscat earlier this month, mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, amid heightened regional tensions and an expanded US military presence in the Gulf. Both Washington and Tehran described the discussions as “a good start,” with follow-up consultations conducted by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani. No formal dates have yet been set for the next round, though both sides have expressed an intention to continue discussions.
Andrabi stressed that Pakistan welcomes all efforts toward dialogue and diplomacy to resolve outstanding issues, including nuclear concerns, calling the Muscat talks “a positive progression toward a negotiated solution.” While he did not confirm Islamabad’s direct involvement in facilitating the meetings, he noted that Pakistan has maintained close leadership-level contact with Tehran, including conversations between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Iranian counterparts, as well as a recent exchange between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Iranian president.
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Separately, Pakistan will participate in the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” in Washington on February 19, Andrabi confirmed. Prime Minister Shehbaz, accompanied by the deputy prime minister, will use the platform to advocate for a fair and lasting solution to the Palestine issue. The summit is expected to focus on Gaza reconstruction funding, ceasefire implementation, transitional governance, and security arrangements.
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Andrabi emphasized that Pakistan is participating as part of a collective voice of eight Islamic-Arab countries, aiming to support long-term peace and prosperity for the Palestinian people, including the creation of a Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital.
