Pakistan’s army chief is set to meet with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday in hopes of extending the ceasefire that paused almost seven weeks of war between Israel, the US and Iran.
It’s unclear whether the frantic diplomacy can lead to a lasting deal as the two-week ceasefire passes the half-way mark. The Iran war has killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.
The meeting comes as President Donald Trump announced the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will speak later on Thursday about halting the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
If it takes place, the conversation would be the first time the leaders of the two countries have spoken directly in more than 30 years. Both Israeli and Lebanese governments refused to confirm any conversation. Meanwhile, Hezbollah and Israel’s military continued cross-border attacks on Thursday.
The White House said any further talks regarding Iran would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. The fragile ceasefire, which halted the fighting a week ago, is holding despite a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iranian counter-threats to target regional ports across the Red Sea.
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator after hosting direct talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad that authorities said helped narrow differences between the sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before the ceasefire expires next week.
The war has jolted markets and rattled the global economy as shipping has been cut off and airstrikes have torn through military and civilian infrastructure across the region. Oil prices have fallen amid hopes for an end to fighting, and US stocks on Wednesday surpassed records set in January.
No dates set for second round of Iran-US talks
Pakistan on Thursday said that no dates have been decided for the second round of talks between the United States and Iran.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi’s statement comes amidst reports that another round of talks is possible after the latest contacts made by the Pakistani side with regional leaders, including the Iranian leadership. Andrabi said in response to a query that “no dates have been set as yet”, as he avoided rejecting the possibility of the second round of talks.
When asked about the arrival and composition of the delegations for a second round of dialogue, he said, “Who will come, how large the delegation will be, who will stay, and who will leave — this is for the parties to decide.”
“The details and information of the negotiations that we had were entrusted to us by the negotiating parties,” he added. He also said that the nuclear issue is among the subjects being discussed by the countries.