Wajahat Ali Khan
Donald Trump said there was “no timeframe” for ending the war in Iran, with the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz set to continue indefinitely. The US president said it was “not true” that he wanted to end the war before the US midterm elections in November and insisted there was “no time pressure” on the ceasefire with Iran. He later told t US media that new talks with Iran could take place as soon as today Friday after negotiations scheduled for earlier in the week in Pakistan failed to materialise.
On the other hand, Iran warned that no new peace talks could take place while the US navy’s blockade of Iranian ports remained in place. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Tehran’s chief negotiator, accused Mr Trump of “holding the global economy hostage” with the blockade.
Pakistan became a mediator in this peace process by virtue of its positive relations with both Iran and the US. But analysts say these relationships are very different. Ties with the US have been complex and up and down over the decades but, for the most part, they are visible on the surface. The two countries have a history of airing grievances publicly. However , Pakistan still awaits of mediation and mediators again.
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