Media: Pakistan channels Tehran’s latest peace initiative to Washington

Pakistan has shared with the US a revised proposal from Iran to end the conflict in the Middle East, a Pakistani source told Reuters, as peace talks appear to remain stalled.

“We don’t have much time,” the source said, when asked if it will take time to close gaps, adding that both countries “keep changing their goalposts.”

Washington and Tehran announced a ceasefire last month but have been struggling ​to thrash out a lasting peace pact. Talks mediated by Pakistan have been suspended since Iran and the US ​each rejected the other's latest proposals last week.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Araqchi said "contradictory messages" had raised Iranian doubts about the Americans' real intentions, adding that the ‌Pakistani mediation ⁠process had not failed but was in "difficulty".

The United States and Israel have cut short two previous rounds of talks with Tehran in the past 13 months by launching campaigns of air strikes on Iran.

Iran is trying to keep the latest ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance but is also prepared to go back to fighting, Araqchi said.

The issues holding up ​negotiations between the two sides ​include Iran's nuclear ambitions ⁠and its control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Hours before he spoke, US President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out and said he had agreed in talks with Chinese ​President Xi Jinping that Tehran must reopen the strait.

Asked if Tehran was open to ​mediation by Beijing, ⁠Araqchi said Iran appreciated the efforts of any country that had the ability to help.

By Vafa Guliyeva