Islambad, Apr 15:
Pakistan is intensifying diplomatic efforts to revive stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran, with a possible second round of talks expected in Islamabad next week, according to media reports.
Senior Pakistani leadership—including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir—is actively engaged in high-level contacts aimed at bringing both sides back to the negotiating table and potentially ending the ongoing Gulf conflict.
Sources indicate that renewed talks could take place before the expiration of a two-week ceasefire on April 21.
Preparations are reportedly underway following the first direct negotiations between US and Iranian leaders in 47 years, held recently in Islamabad. Although those talks did not result in an agreement, they marked a significant breakthrough in diplomatic engagement between the two long-time adversaries.
A second round of discussions may be held as early as Thursday, though scheduling could be affected by Prime Minister Shehbaz’s planned visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkey at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The diplomatic push comes after nearly six weeks of escalating tensions in West Asia. On April 8, Pakistan announced that both sides had agreed to a temporary ceasefire just hours before a US deadline related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, on April 11, delegations led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf held extensive discussions in Islamabad to explore a peaceful resolution to the conflict that began on February 28. Despite the lengthy talks, no formal agreement was reached.
Prime Minister Shehbaz has reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promoting regional peace and expressed optimism that continued dialogue will yield positive outcomes.
Speaking at an emergency cabinet meeting, he noted progress in the negotiations and emphasized that Pakistan remains hopeful for a constructive resolution.
He also highlighted that historic peace agreements, such as the Oslo Accords, Geneva Accords, and the Good Friday Agreement, took years to materialize, suggesting that patience is essential.
The federal cabinet passed a resolution praising the leadership’s role in facilitating dialogue between the US and Iran after decades of deadlock, expressing hope that ongoing efforts will contribute to lasting regional and global peace.
A tanker that aborted an attempt to exit the Strait of Hormuz on Monday turned around and transited the waterway early Tuesday, in one of the first tests of the US blockade.
The Rich Starry, a chemical and oil tanker, had been waiting off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, according to shipping data firm Lloyd’s List, which cited data from the energy cargo-tracking firm Vortexa.
The US military said on Monday that the blockade applied only to vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports, and it was not immediately clear whether the Rich Starry had earlier docked in Iran or was carrying Iranian oil.
US Central Command did not immediately respond to questions about the vessel.