Pakistan says US, Iran remain willing to engage as dialogue continues

The United States and Iran remain willing to engage as dialogue continues, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Thursday, urging against speculation about a possible second round of talks in Islamabad. Spokesman Tahir Andrabi said details about potential US and Iranian delegations are "an internal matter of the concerned parties," according to local broadcaster Geo TV.

Talks status

Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, Andrabi said Iran's nuclear program was among the issues discussed in the ongoing negotiations, which he described as "serious and constructive." "There was neither a breakthrough nor a breakdown," he said, adding that nuclear issues remain a key topic. The comments come as Pakistan steps up mediation efforts following 16 hours of US-Iran talks over the weekend that ended without agreement.

Diplomatic activity

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on a regional tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye, while Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, is visiting Iran for talks with Iranian leaders. Pakistan hosted the negotiations after brokering a 14-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8.

Lebanon context

Andrabi also condemned Israeli attacks in Lebanon, saying the situation there is part of the broader negotiations and regional peace process. He said "signs of improvement" on the Israel-Lebanon front were encouraging. "De-escalation would help create a conducive environment for dialogue," Andrabi said.