Iran rejects Pakistan’s mediation bid with the US as expert warns proposed talks could be a trap targeting Iranian officials. Photos: X.
Iran has rejected a Pakistan-led initiative aimed at brokering a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Tehran has reportedly dismissed both the proposed talks and US President Donald Trump’s reported 15-point peace plan.
Commenting on the development, Iran expert Vali Nasr raised serious concerns about the intentions behind the proposed mediation.
In an interview with CNN, Nasr alleged that the Pakistan-backed proposal for talks between the US and Iran was designed as a trap.
“The proposal by Pakistan for talks between the US and Iran was a plot aimed at eliminating Iranian officials,” Nasr said.
He further claimed that the initiative was meant to lure Iranian representatives into attending negotiations under the pretext of diplomacy, only for them to become targets afterward.
A report by The Wall Street Journal stated that Iran has formally informed mediators that it will not meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days. Tehran has reportedly conveyed that it considers Washington’s demands unacceptable.
The report indicates that Iran has made it clear it does not view Islamabad as an appropriate venue for such negotiations.
Pakistan had offered to mediate talks between the United States and Iran last month as tensions escalated across the Middle East.
The proposal surfaced at a time when US President Donald Trump had temporarily paused major strikes on Tehran. Trump claimed that unofficial negotiations were underway and asserted that Iran was “pleading” for a ceasefire, while simultaneously declaring that the United States had already secured victory.
However, reports suggest that Iran never considered Islamabad a legitimate host or authority capable of brokering a peace agreement.
Turkey And Egypt Exploring Alternative Negotiation Venues
Following the collapse of Pakistan’s mediation attempt, new diplomatic efforts may be underway.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, Turkey and Egypt are now exploring alternative venues such as Doha or Istanbul while proposing fresh ideas to revive negotiations.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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