Slow but steady progress

2026-03-28 - 00:11

IMMEDIATE end to the ongoing Gulf war is not in sight but effective mediation of Pakistan has started producing positive results, creating a somewhat encouraging environment for the peace process to succeed. As the five-day pause in attacks on Iranian energy plants announced by the US President was about to expire, Trump said late Thursday night that it was being extended by another 10 days (April 06) citing progress in indirect talks with Iran, which he said were going very well. In another confidence-building measure, Iran allowed ten Pakistan-flagged oil ships to pass from the Strait of Hormuz, which President Trump described as a gift from Tehran. It is now official that Pakistan, together with Turkiye and Egypt, was actively involved in efforts aimed at de-escalation between the United States and Iran. This has been confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who, in an ‘X’ post said that “US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan”, adding that a 15-point US framework had been shared and is under Iranian deliberation, while the “brotherly countries of Turkiye and Egypt” are supporting the effort. Iran has also confirmed that it has given its response to the US proposal and that the door of diplomacy is wide open. It is pertinent to observe that Tehran has not rejected the US proposal and only termed it ‘one-sided and unfair’, meaning thereby that give and take could lead to an ultimate deal. There is no breakthrough but the very fact that the process is continuing despite various odds, prompting the US President to extend the deadline of his warning about attacks on Iranian energy installations. This itself is an indication that the indirect talks are moving in the right direction and might produce the desired results at the fag end. Apart from an extension in the deadline for attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure, the United States, at the instance of Pakistan, has convinced Israel to remove names of two Iranian personalities from its hit list. According to reliable reports, Israel was preparing to target Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and refrained from doing so after Pakistan plainly told the United States that if they were eliminated then there was no one else to talk to. The episode shows how Pakistan was trying to save the peace process and serve the cause of regional and global security and peace. Hopefully, the extended pause will enable the warring parties to re-assess their positions and options and lean more towards a peace settlement. Observers point out that because of internal dynamics, it was difficult for the Iranian leadership to offer prompt concessions as these could spark severe reaction from hard core elements, which have more grip on the Iranian system after elimination of senior leaders in Israeli attacks. This is evident from reports emanating from Tehran that the debate among Iranian hardliners over whether Tehran should seek a nuclear bomb in defiance of an escalating US-Israeli attack is getting louder, more public and more insistent. Meanwhile, the United States is also dropping strong hints of its keen interest in finding a negotiated solution of the conflict. However, for a meaningful dialogue and for the peace process to succeed, the two sides will have to agree on more confidence-building measures. A temporary pause in military activities can serve as an effective CBM as continuation of the fighting means something very ominous could happen any time, especially when one of the parties to the conflict (Israel) has no interest in peace and wants the war to escalate. Similarly, political statements are, no doubt, mainly directed at the internal audience and as a PR exercise to save prestige and reputation but provocative remarks spoil the atmosphere for talks, therefore, should be avoided.