Pakistan steps up diplomatic bid to get US-Iran peace talks on track
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Women hold Iran's national flags during an anti-US and Israel protest in Tehran on May 17.
PHOTO: AFP
- Pakistan intensifies diplomatic efforts to accelerate US-Iran peace talks, as President Trump threatens swift attacks if the "right answers" are not provided quickly.
- Iran's latest offer repeats demands including Strait of Hormuz control, lifting of sanctions, and US troop withdrawal, despite Washington finding these unacceptable.
- Ongoing tensions cause soaring oil prices and global energy disruption, with Iran restarting drone production and warning of an extended regional war if attacked.
AI generated
DUBAI – Pakistan stepped up diplomatic efforts on May 21 to hasten US and Iran peace talks, as Tehran said it was reviewing Washington’s latest responses and President Donald Trump suggested he could wait a few days for “the right answers” from Tehran but was also willing to resume attacks on Iran.
Six weeks since a fragile ceasefire took effect, talks to end the war have made little progress, while soaring oil prices have raised concern over inflation and the impact on the global economy.
Mr Trump also faces domestic pressure ahead of November’s midterm elections, with his approval rating dropping close to its lowest since he returned to the White House on the surge in fuel prices.
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, will decide on May 21 whether to travel to Tehran as part of the mediation effort, three sources familiar with the negotiations said.
They sought anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Pakistan’s interior minister was in Tehran on May 20.
“We’re speaking to all the various groups in Iran to streamline communication, and so things pick up pace,” said one of the sources. “Trump’s patience running thin is a concern, but we’re working on the pace at which messages are relayed from each side.”
Earlier, Iran’s ISNA news agency said Field Marshal Munir would travel to Tehran on May 21 for consultations.
“Believe me, if we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” Mr Trump told reporters. Asked how long he would wait, Mr Trump replied: “It could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”
Mr Trump reiterated his determination not to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
“We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens. Either have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen,” Mr Trump said.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has warned against renewed attacks.
“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time,” it said in a statement.
Iran submitted its latest offer to the United States this week.
Tehran’s descriptions suggest it largely repeats terms Mr Trump previously rejected, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets, and the withdrawal of US troops.
Iran’s terms for Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz, which carried a fifth of global shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has been all but closed since it began, causing the most serious disruption to global energy supplies in history.
On May 20, Iran released a map showing a “controlled maritime zone” at the strait and said transit would require authorisation from an authority set up to control the area.
It said it aims to reopen the strait to friendly countries that abide by its terms. That could potentially include fees for access, which Washington says would be unacceptable.
Two Chinese supertankers carrying a total of about 4 million barrels of oil exited the strait on May 20, while a South Korean tanker with 2 million barrels of crude loaded in Kuwait was also crossing the strait in cooperation with Iran.
Shipping monitor Lloyd’s List said at least 54 ships transited the strait last week, about double the previous week.
Iran said 26 ships had crossed in the past 24 hours, still only a fraction of the 125 to 140 daily passages before the war.
US-Israeli bombing killed thousands of people in Iran before the ceasefire.
Israel has also killed thousands more and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes in Lebanon, which it invaded in pursuit of the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group.
Iranian strikes on Israel and neighbouring Gulf states have killed dozens of people.
Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said their war aims were to curb Iran’s support for regional militias, dismantle its nuclear programme, destroy its missile capabilities and make it easier for Iranians to topple their rulers.
But Iran has so far retained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, and its ability to threaten neighbours with missiles, drones and proxy militias.
It has already restarted some drone production during the ceasefire, CNN said on May 21, citing two sources familiar with US intelligence assessments.
Iran’s clerical rulers, who put down a mass uprising at the start of the year, have faced no sign of organised opposition since the war began. REUTERS
