ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reviewed regional developments and discussed prospects of the United States-Tehran negotiations, Iranian state media reported on Thursday, as President Donald Trump warned Washington could resume the war “very quickly” if it did not “get the right answers” to its proposal.
Iran said on Thursday it was reviewing Washington’s latest position on ending the US-Tehran war, which began on Feb. 8 and has been paused under a ceasefire since Apr. 8, after US President Donald Trump suggested he was prepared to wait but warned of renewed attacks if Iran did not agree to a deal.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator since the war erupted following joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in late Feb., which triggered Iranian retaliation and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes.
Naqvi arrived in Tehran on Wednesday and held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials as Islamabad, which hosted the first round of rare direct talks between the US and Iran, intensified diplomatic efforts to broker peace amid renewed tensions between the two sides.
“President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, in his meeting with the Pakistani Interior Minister, reviewed the latest regional developments and the diplomatic consultations related to the Iran-US talks,” the state-run IRNA news agency reported on Thursday.
“The two sides, emphasizing the need to continue political consultations and strengthen regional cooperation, reviewed the latest developments related to the negotiation process, diplomatic initiatives, and strategies to contribute to regional stability and security.”
Naqvi also conveyed to the Iranian president the “messages and views” of Pakistani officials about the current developments and the “importance of continuing the path of dialogue,” according to IRNA.
Pezeshkian appreciated the Pakistan’s position, support and efforts for regional stability, security and cooperation, emphasizing the importance of “continuing political coordination between Tehran and Islamabad.”
Six weeks since a fragile ceasefire came into force, talks to end the war have shown little progress, while soaring oil prices have raised concern over inflation and the impact on the global economy. Trump is also under pressure at home ahead of midterm elections in November, with his approval rating dropping close to its lowest level since he returned to the White House on the surge in fuel prices.
“Believe me, if we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” Trump was quoted as saying by AP.
Asked how long he would wait, Trump said, “It could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”
Trump reiterated his determination not to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
“We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens. Either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen,” Trump told reporters earlier in the day. “Ideally, I’d like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot. We can do it either way.”
Iran said it was reviewing Washington’s latest position on ending the war.
Iran submitted its latest offer to the US this week. Tehran’s descriptions suggest it largely repeats terms Trump previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of US troops.
“We have received US views and are reviewing them,” Iranian state-run agency Nour News quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.
