ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — An offer by Pakistani officials to host indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran appeared to edge closer to reality on Wednesday, after Iran confirmed it was engaging in discussions with its neighbors but not directly with the United States.
In a televised interview late Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that Pakistan was among the “many countries” to have approached Iran with offers to mediate. “There have been messages going around for some days. We have received messages requesting a sort of negotiations. We have responded to those messages,” he said. Baqaei praised Islamabad for its “good intentions” and said that Iran’s minister of foreign affairs has been in contact with his Pakistani counterpart.
In answer to a question about whether Tehran was talking directly or indirectly with Washington, Baqaei said that there are “no talks or negotiations between Iran and the United States.”
Syed Muhammad Ali, a Pakistani security analyst with knowledge of the negotiations, said in a phone interview Wednesday that Islamabad’s political and military leadership was facilitating indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran.
“There has been significant and rapid progress in these indirect talks between the United States and Iran,” which he said were being facilitated by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Asim Munir, among others.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that negotiations were happening “right now.” Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump had said “we’re talking to the right leaders, and they want to make a deal so badly.”
Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have each moved to broker a ceasefire, against the backdrop of a new wave of Iranian attacks on Persian Gulf countries and Israel, the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran and plans by the Pentagon to mobilize about 2,000 paratroopers to the region.
Muted optimism over the prospect of talks appeared to ease oil markets on Wednesday morning, with Brent crude, the international standard, falling below $95 per barrel after topping $104 Tuesday.
The day before, Sharif said on X that Pakistan was ready to “be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict,” in a message on social media that was reposted by Trump.
Pakistani officials said Wednesday that Sharif had also briefed his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Islamabad’s “constructive diplomatic outreach to all parties urging de-escalation and resolution of differences.”
On Tuesday, Trump declared the war in Ian had already been “won” and said the Iranians had provided an oil- and gas-related “present … worth a tremendous amount of money,” without elaborating on what that was.
He added that his son-in-law Jared Kushner, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance were involved in talks with Iranian leadership, but did not say which Iranians they were.
Sands reported from London. Siham Shamalakh in Cairo contributed to this report.
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