IT is a matter of serious concern for global community that despite hectic behind-the-scenes efforts being made by Pakistan to bring the United States and Iran back to negotiating table for the second round of peace talks, the two sides continue to trade barbs, which is a perfect example of diplomacy through media. The tendency to portray themselves victors are spoiling prospects of meaningful talks even if held because of the sensitivities involved.
There are clear indications that mediator Pakistan, which brokered a two-week ceasefire between the two sides on April 8, was making hectic efforts to end the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and to ensure Iran’s participation in the peace talks. Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who has assumed central position in mediation process, took personal risks in visiting Iran where he held threadbare discussions with both civilian and military leadership of the country on ways and means to promote peace and security in the region. Apparently, based on his interaction with the Iranian side, the CDF talked to the US President urging him to lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports, which Iran considers a violation of the ceasefire, to allow Tehran to make a clear decision vis-à-vis its participation in the second round of talks in Islamabad. Initial reports suggested that the US President was responsive to the request and promised to look into the issue but then later claimed no such issue was discussed. Instead, as part of strategy to strengthen the US bargaining position in the talks, Washington raised the ante by attacking an Iranian commercial ship in the Sea of Oman.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused US President Donald Trump of attempting to pressure Tehran through what he described as a “siege” and violations of a ceasefire agreement. In a post on X, Ghalibaf said Washington was trying to turn the negotiating table “into a table of surrender” or use it to justify renewed conflict. He went on to say Iran will not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats and that his country spent past two weeks preparing to ‘reveal new cards on the battlefield’. It is, however, somewhat encouraging that remarks and some actions of the US President indicate the possibility of a peace deal. In a positive development, he extended the ceasefire, which was expiring Tuesday, for another day in anticipation of talks between the two countries on Wednesday (today) but at the same time warning there will be no further extension. His remarks on Monday also hinted at progress so far made in the back channel negotiations as he claimed that new deal in the pipeline with Iran would be “far better” than the nuclear deal realised by former president Barack Obama and would “guarantee peace, security and safety” for everyone, adding that it was coming “relatively quickly”.
However, such remarks and announcements are obviously creating difficulties for Iranian leaders who are already under great internal pressure due to elimination of the senior leadership during raids by the US and Israel. In this backdrop, foreign policy experts believe it would be next to impossible to have a comprehensive deal in the second round of talks and it will be an achievement if the ceasefire is extended indefinitely. This will create space for more engagement to sort out remaining differences on critical issues through give and take. Both the United States and Iran ought to demonstrate flexibility in their extreme positions for the sake of peace and security as resumption of war will not only mean loss of more precious lives but also put more pressure on economies of almost all countries of the world.
