ISLAMABAD – Pakistani capital Islamabad remained in global spotlight as the South Asian nation, being mediator between US and Iran, faces its most critical test yet, with Information Minister Tarar admitting that the government is still waiting for Tehran’s response on whether it will even attend the next round of negotiations.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar revealed in a post on X that Pakistan remains in “continuous contact” with Iranian authorities in bid to keep diplomatic channels alive and ensure the dialogue process does not collapse.
Tarar said the clock is ticking rapidly, and current ceasefire window is set to expire at 4:50 am. Wednesday and he stressed that Iran’s decision to participate before that deadline is “extremely important.”
Behind closed doors, Pakistan is reportedly making “every possible effort” to convince the Iranian leadership to join the second round of talks, but for the first time, Islamabad has now implicitly acknowledged a troubling reality: Iran’s participation is not guaranteed, and the ball is firmly in Tehran’s court.
Pakistani officials are watching anxiously as the anticipated summit risks unraveling before it even begins. “The stage is set, but the guests have not arrived,” observers note, capturing the growing tension surrounding the stalled negotiations.
Over the past 48 hours, the situation has escalated rapidly. American and Iranian envoys have both reportedly met with senior Pakistani officials in a flurry of high-level diplomatic engagement.
At the same time, unusual movements have been observed across Islamabad. Massive C-17 military aircraft have been landing at Nur Khan Air Base. Roads around the Serena Hotel, previously used for negotiations, have been sealed off, and there are eports of sniper deployments on nearby buildings, adding to the heightened security atmosphere.
Despite the uncertainty, neither Washington nor Tehran appears willing to allow the fragile diplomatic process to collapse on Pakistani soil. Sources suggest that backchannel communications have intensified dramatically, pointing toward a possible behind-the-scenes framework agreement.
This potential deal, according to insiders, may involve mutual concessions from both sides, carefully structured so each party can present it domestically as a political victory.
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