Pakistan urges return to dialogue between US and Iran

Pakistan said Thursday, July 30, it is doing its “utmost” to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last month.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said negotiations between the “parties” are ongoing to normalise the situation, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that Islamabad will continue to support dialogue and diplomacy, calling it the “only viable path forward”.

“We welcome all efforts aimed at sustaining cessation of hostilities and resumption of dialogue between Iran and the US,” Andrabi said.

He added that Pakistan is working to bring both sides back to the Islamabad MoU “so that all irritants can be removed in the light of the spirit of the agreement and the Pakistan-Qatar joint statement on June 22”.

“Pakistan notes with concern that the security situation in the Middle East remains precarious despite the relative calm of the past few days, which had rekindled hopes,” he said.

Andrabi urged Washington and Tehran to exercise “maximum restraint and fully adhere to their commitment to resume technical-level talks” in line with the Islamabad MoU and the Pakistan-Qatar joint statement.

The United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in April, followed by the Islamabad MoU signed in Switzerland. However, recent hostilities have cast doubt over the future of the agreement.

By Tamilla Hasanova