Pakistan Hosts Iran-U.S. Peace Talks Amid Rising Middle East Tensions

Pakistan said it will host talks between the United States and Iran in the “coming days”, even as thousands of U.S. Marines arrive in the Middle East and Iran’s Parliament Speaker dismissed the negotiations as cover for a ground invasion. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a televised speech Sunday that his country will “host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides,” in order to reach a “comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict.” He added that “both Iran and the U.S. have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks.” Dar did not say whether the talks would be direct or through intermediaries, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TIME. Either way, it would mark the first negotiations between the two countries since the outbreak of the war on Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched a surprise attack that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Analysis by: Tariq Al-Fayed

Middle East Geopolitical Strategist