Foreign Affairs: Pakistan pressed ahead on Monday with preparations for a new round of talks between the United States and Iran, days before a fragile ceasefire is set to expire, even as renewed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have raised questions about whether the meeting will take place.
Over the weekend, the United States attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that it said was trying to evade an Iranian blockade of its ports. Iran’s Joint Chiefs of Staff have vowed to retaliate, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told his Pakistani counterpart that the US threat to Iranian ships and ports was a “clear sign” of Washington’s dishonesty ahead of planned talks, according to Iranian state media.
With tensions rising and a ceasefire set to expire midweek, Pakistan has strengthened diplomatic ties with both Washington and Tehran in the past 24 hours, with the goal of resuming talks on Tuesday as planned, according to two Pakistani officials involved in the preparations. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
US President Donald Trump said US negotiators would travel to the Pakistani capital on Monday, but it was not immediately clear whether those plans would change.
Translated by Nay Tola
