US, Iran willing to continue dialogue: FO spokesperson
Islamabad: Pakistan has urged the media against speculation regarding the schedule of the second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, saying that the schedule for the upcoming talks has not been announced yet.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andarabi addressing a weekly briefing declined to share details of diplomatic engagements, emphasising the need for trust and confidentiality. “If we had shared such information, it would have been a breach of trust,” he said.
“The important thing is that both sides are willing to engage and dialogue continues,” he said, adding that details about delegations and participation were secondary and an internal matter of the concerned parties.
His remarks came amid reports that negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad later this week, five sources told Reuters, days after the highest-level inaugural talks between the two countries in decades ended inconclusively.
Addressing the media today, FO spokesperson Andarabi said the negotiations between the United States and Iran continued in a “serious and constructive” manner, describing the outcome as neither a “breakthrough nor a breakdown”.
“There was neither a breakthrough nor a breakdown,” he said, adding that the two delegations engaged in 21 hours of continuous talks, while the overall negotiation process extended beyond 24 hours. He added that nuclear issues remained among the key topics under discussion in the negotiations.
He noted that such prolonged engagement on complex issues reflected “extraordinary commitment” by both sides. “The seriousness, resolve and positive attitude of the participants should be appreciated,” he added, highlighting that leadership from both countries, along with mediating officials, remained present throughout.
Calling the round “historic in significance,” the spokesperson said the role played by the leadership of all three countries deserved recognition.
The spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to act as a mediator and facilitator, keeping communication channels open between Tehran and Washington.
“All diplomatic efforts, including the Islamabad talks, are part of a continuous process,” Andarabi said, noting that high-level engagements in Tehran and visits by delegations were also part of this broader effort.
He added that Pakistan had maintained contact with global leaders through telephone diplomacy ahead of the talks and would continue engaging international partners.
Highlighting Pakistan’s broader diplomatic outreach, he said the country had actively participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) and hosted a meeting of senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt in Islamabad.
