TEHRAN: Iran’s FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that Tehran never refused to hold talks in Islamabad with the United States, adding that its position was being misrepresented by US media.
In a post on social media platform X, along with a video showing Iranian women holding Pakistani flags and raising slogans in support of Pakistan, Araghchi said: “Iran’s position is being misrepresented by US media.”
“We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting end to the illegal war imposed on us,” he said
Pakistan has said it will continue to encourage dialogue between the United States and Iran to help end the conflict, though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged “obstacles” in its efforts.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi did not elaborate on the challenges but made the remarks during a weekly media briefing in Islamabad, hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages” if it did not accept Washington’s terms for a peace deal.
Pakistan has been leading a multination effort to facilitate negotiations between the two sides.
“Despite challenges and obstacles, Pakistan will continue its efforts to promote facilitation and dialogue,” Andrabi said, adding that Islamabad was working to create conditions for “meaningful negotiations among relevant stakeholders”.
He said both the United States and Iran have expressed confidence in Pakistan’s role as a neutral intermediary.
A quiet Pakistani effort to broker talks between the United States and Iran came close to a breakthrough twice in recent days, with a US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance prepared to travel to Islamabad before Tehran stepped back at the last moment, a senior Pakistan official told The Express Tribune.
The ET said that the delegation was reportedly ready on two occasions within the past 10 days to travel to Islamabad for direct engagement with Iranian officials, but the visits were called off after Iran requested more time for internal consultations and ultimately decided not to participate.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a neutral facilitator amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, offering to host dialogue as hostilities escalate following recent US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
“We were very close, twice within the last ten days, to hosting a critical meeting,” the official said, adding that while Washington showed readiness to engage, Iran appeared cautious about entering talks under current circumstances.
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