Positive diplomatic moves

2026-02-04 - 23:36

IN a significant diplomatic development, Pakistan announced on Tuesday it has been invited to join upcoming talks between Iran and the United States aimed at averting a war between the two countries. According to Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan was invited to join the negotiation process expected to take place in Istanbul on Friday. Foreign Ministers from Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman have been invited and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to represent Pakistan at the crucial dialogue process. The involvement of other countries raises hopes for a positive outcome as all of them want a peaceful resolution of the standoff between the US and Iran. Incidentally, the countries invited for the purpose are members of the newly formed ‘Peace Board’ of President Donald Trump, which is primarily meant for restoration of peace and security vis-à-vis Gaza but also has a mandate to play a role in advancing the cause of peace elsewhere in the world. Pakistan’s participation in the all-important talks is reflective of the enhanced diplomatic stature and role of the country as it has not only been contributing to the peace-keeping missions under the auspices of the United Nations but also playing a facilitative role in peace talks. Its efforts bore fruit when the United States and the Afghan Taliban reached an agreement in Doha that paved the way for withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. It is also well known that Pakistan has been playing a crucial balancing role in the Iran-US conflict as a key security partner to Washington and a well-wisher and neighbour of Tehran. Pakistan facilitated back channel diplomacy to reduce tension, hosts Iran’s interest section in the US and actively seeks to prevent regional escalation. The country tried its level best for restoration of regional peace when the United States carried out air strikes against Iranian nuclear sites and was once again active as the US moved its naval assets to the region. In the backdrop of the volatile regional situation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone call with Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian last week in which the two leaders emphasized the need for dialogue and diplomacy to promote peace, security and stability in the region. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also spoke to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in which both sides underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only way forward. Pakistan also reached out to other key players, as well as Washington, as part of diplomatic efforts to avert renewed hostilities. The peace process, supported by regional countries, can help avert a war provided the two sides showed flexibility in their positions. As for public posturing, the United States President has expressed the hope that a deal can be reached and the Iranian side is also conveying positive signals as it says it can commit not to go for nuclear weapons in exchange for lifting of economic sanctions that are compounding financial woes of the country and became an indirect cause for the recent violent protests. However, the devil is in the details and much depends on the sincerity of the two sides and what actually unfolds on the table. There are already some ominous signs – the United States military shot down an Iranian drone that it claimed aggressively approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea and reports suggest Iranian wants the talks to move from Istanbul to Oman and to hold them in a bilateral format, only with the US, rather than other countries attending them as observers. As the countries invited to participate in talks are not parties to the conflict, they are in a position to influence the peace process in a positive manner by urging the US to exercise restraint from using the force and calling upon Tehran to show flexibility on issues involved.