Pakistan stands ‘ready, honoured’ to host US-Iran talks, says PM
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan stood “ready and honoured” to host “meaningful and conclusive talks” between the US and Iran.
“Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the war in the Middle East, in the interest of peace and stability in the region and beyond,” he said in a post on the social media platform X.
“Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,” he said.
PM Shehbaz’s statement came shortly after the Foreign Office (FO) urged the media to refrain from speculation and await official announcements when asked about reports of Islamabad being a possible venue for talks between the US and Iranian representatives amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
“Pakistan, consistent with its longstanding policy, remains committed to the resolution of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East/Persian Gulf through diplomatic means and engagements,” FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in response to queries about the reports.
“Diplomacy and negotiations often require that certain matters be advanced with discretion. The media is therefore encouraged to refrain from speculation and to await official announcements regarding decisions and outcomes,” he said.
A day earlier, Andrabi said in response to a query by Dawn, “If the parties desire, Islamabad is always willing to host talks.” He recalled that Pakistan had consistently advocated for dialogue and diplomacy to promote peace and stability in the region.
The developments come as several international media outlets suggested that Islamabad could serve as a venue for potential direct talks between US and Iranian representatives in the coming days.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has entered its fourth week, began with the US and Israel launching attacks on Iran on February 28. The strikes also resulted in the assassination of then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Monday, Pakistan took centre stage in a coordinated diplomatic push alongside Turkiye and Egypt for de-escalation, as the trio appeared instrumental in securing a five-day pause of US plans to strike Iranian energy and power infrastructure, officials said, describing the effort as going beyond routine crisis management.
US President Donald Trump publicly announced the pause on strikes on Monday, claiming Washington had held “very good and productive conversations” with Tehran over the previous couple of days that could lead to a “complete and total resolution” of hostilities.
The pause, however, remains conditional and limited to strikes on Iranian power plants and major energy assets, with fighting continuing across multiple fronts. Staff Report
