Arabic version: باكستان تتوسط في تجديد محادثات السلام بين الولايات المتحدة وإيران في طهران
According to Al Jazeera,
Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday to meet with his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported. The United States and Iran have continued to exchange proposals for peace since a temporary ceasefire between them was agreed last month. But hostilities have not come to a complete halt and both sides are believed to still be far apart on a number of key issues.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted three drones, the day after a drone attack at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates. That raised more concerns about the potential for renewed military escalation in the Gulf as peace negotiations drag on.
On Wednesday, Donald Trump told reporters that peace negotiations with Iran are “borderline” between talks and renewed strikes. “If we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” Trump said. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Tehran is reviewing a revised US peace proposal conveyed through Pakistan, while discussions continue regarding confidence-building measures.
Iran’s latest proposal includes a 14-point plan aimed at ending the conflict, although significant disagreements remain. A major point of contention is Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. During negotiations, Washington has urged Tehran to give away its enriched uranium, a demand Tehran has resisted. The US wants to impose a 20-year moratorium on Iran enriching any uranium. However, under the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed with a number of nations in 2015, Iran had been allowed to enrich to 3.87 percent – enough to develop a nuclear power programme.
Additionally, Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, complicating global oil supply routes. Since early March, Iran has restricted shipping through the narrow waterway linking the Gulf to the open ocean, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are shipped during peacetime.
As diplomatic efforts unfold, Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir may travel to Iran soon, potentially facilitating dialogue beyond the US-Iran negotiations. Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to visit China, suggesting a broader international dimension to the ongoing discussions.
