Pakistan on Saturday pushed back against media reports claiming that its initiative to facilitate talks between the United States and Iran had run into obstacles after an initial exchange of proposals.
Calling the reports “baseless” and a “figment of imagination,” foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed them outright.
“We have noted several reports in the media, including on social media, citing so-called official government sources regarding the ongoing conflict in the region and Pakistan‘s efforts to promote peace and dialogue,” he said, reported news agency PTI.
“We categorically reject these false insinuations attributed to purported official sources as baseless and a figment of imagination. Any attribution to official sources in this regard is incorrect.” Track US-Iran war live updates
‘Briefing misrepresented’
The clarification came amid growing speculation following a closed-door briefing by one of Islamabad’s senior foreign ministry official.
Andrabi said the controversy stemmed from a misreading of a background briefing held on Friday at the ministry of foreign affairs. He flagged concern over how the interaction was reported at a time of heightened tensions in the region.
“We therefore urge all media platforms to exercise due diligence, avoid speculation and rely exclusively on officially issued statements and media readouts for accurate and timely information,” he said.
What the reports said
The reports in question, including by Pakistan-based Dawn and US-based The Wall Street Journal, suggested that while some progress had been made, including relaying messages between Washington and Tehran, momentum had slowed due to the absence of a clear response from the Iranian side.
The WSJ report said that Iran has refused to engage with any US-led delegation in Islamabad.
“It is surprising that despite the obliteration of significant naval, air force, and other military and civilian infrastructure, Iran has not responded positively to calls for negotiations,” another report by the Dawn said, citing an official familiar with the discussions.
The same official noted that both Pakistan and China had encouraged Tehran to come to the table, but “Tehran has so far not conveyed its readiness to take part in the dialogue”.
Despite the lack of a formal signal, Pakistani leaders claim that the outreach effort remains ongoing and they are staying in touch with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
Pakistan’s mediation bid
Pakistan had stepped up diplomatic efforts soon after the conflict began, partly driven by its security commitments in the region, including its obligation to defend Saudi Arabia in case of escalation.
While Islamabad has not yet succeeded in brokering a ceasefire, it has managed to keep itself from being drawn directly into the conflict.
The war, triggered by joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders, has since expanded across the Gulf. Iran’s retaliation has widened the theatre of conflict, with energy supply chains, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, taking a significant hit.
