ISLAMABAD – Efforts to facilitate talks between the U.S. and Iran are ongoing, two Pakistani sources with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Tuesday, as U.S. strikes on Iran intensified and President Donald Trump’s deadline to unleash “hell” neared.
However, one of the sources, a senior security official, said Iran’s overnight strikes on Saudi Arabia’s industrial facilities linked to U.S. firms threatened to derail the talks.
If Saudi Arabia were to retaliate, the talks would be over, the source said, adding that could draw Pakistan into the conflict under its defense pact with Riyadh which binds both nations to fight for each other in case of a war.
The second source with knowledge of the talks said Iran was “walking on thin ice” and that the next three to four hours were critical for the future of dialogue.
Pakistan has been the main go-between for proposals shared by both sides, but there has been no sign of a compromise.
“We are in touch with the Iranians. They have lately shown flexibility that they could join the talks, but they are at the same time taking hard lines as a prerequisite for any negotiations,” the Pakistani security source said.
He added that Islamabad was persuading Tehran to enter negotiations without prior conditions.
MESSAGES BEING EXCHANGED
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday that messages are still being exchanged between Iran and the U.S. via mediators.
A senior Iranian source said Tehran had rejected a proposal for a temporary ceasefire with talks dependent on an end to U.S.-Israeli strikes and compensation for damages.
Pakistan’s foreign office said on Tuesday that the strikes on Saudi Arabia constitute a dangerous escalation.
“Such unwarranted aggressions have serious repercussions, to spoil the ongoing peaceful options and conducive environment,” added a Pakistani army statement after top commanders met with army chief Asim Munir.
Pakistan wants to avoid being pulled into the war, which could wreak havoc along its shared western border with Iran and roil discontent among its large Shi’ite population, the second largest in the world after Iran.
Analysts say the defense agreement may not trigger immediate military action but could be activated if conflict escalates.
Iran’s willingness to risk embarrassing Pakistan at a time when “it is crucial to brokering a ceasefire reveals just how committed Tehran is to a tit-for-tat strategy that punishes the Gulf for U.S. and Israeli strikes,” said Adam Weinstein, an expert on Pakistan, Afghanistan and U.S. politics at the Quincy Institute.
Reporting by Asif Shahzad, Ariba Shahid and Parisa Hafezi; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by YP Rajesh and Andrew Cawthorne, Reuters
