Pakistan said Thursday that US-Iran talks remain ongoing, with discussions focused on de-escalation and the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the comments during a weekly briefing in Islamabad, describing the regional security situation as precarious despite a brief period of calm.
What did Pakistan say about the US-Iran talks?
Pakistan confirmed that negotiations between Washington and Tehran are continuing, particularly on the Strait of Hormuz and broader de-escalation efforts. Andrabi said Islamabad is working to bring both parties back to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and is encouraging them to honor their commitment to hold technical talks under that agreement.
"We note with concern that the security situation remains precarious despite the relative calm of the past few days. Negotiations between the parties are ongoing, particularly on the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to de-escalate," Andrabi told reporters. "We are doing our utmost to bring all parties back to the Islamabad MoU," he added.
The spokesperson said Pakistan remained hopeful that diplomatic engagement would help ease tensions and restore dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
Does Pakistan's mediator role conflict with its defense agreements?
Andrabi rejected the idea that Pakistan's mediation efforts clash with its defense cooperation agreements in the region. He said the two tracks are not contradictory and that Pakistan is pursuing diplomacy while strengthening bilateral defense ties with friendly countries. "Our defense agreements do not conflict with Pakistan's role as a mediator," he said.
He noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also held talks with his Saudi and Jordanian counterparts, including discussions on the humanitarian situation in Palestine.
What other diplomatic engagements has Pakistan held recently?
Andrabi highlighted a recent visit by Kuwait's foreign minister to Islamabad, during which Kuwait ratified a Pakistan-Kuwait defense cooperation agreement. Both countries agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy, labor and defense.
Pakistan also took part in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meetings in Kyrgyzstan, engaged with a US congressional delegation and business representatives, and discussed the Palestine situation with Egyptian officials. Andrabi said Pakistan joined eight Arab and Islamic countries in a joint statement expressing concern over Gaza and calling for the immediate restoration of humanitarian assistance there.
Separately, he said Pakistan would host the next SCO Heads of State Summit and would invite all member states to the meeting scheduled for next year.
What did Pakistan say about its nuclear program and India?
During the briefing, Andrabi rejected a documentary by Germany's public broadcaster DW on Pakistan's nuclear program, calling its assertions misleading. He said Pakistan's command and control system meets international standards.
He also criticized India's restrictions on Pakistani social media accounts and rejected recent remarks by India's Ministry of External Affairs on Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Reaffirming Pakistan's longstanding position, Andrabi said a plebiscite under United Nations Security Council resolutions remains the only durable solution to the Kashmir dispute.
Andrabi reiterated Pakistan's condemnation of attacks by non-state actors against Saudi Arabia, saying the kingdom has the right to defend itself.
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