Pakistan Officials: Positive Signals from Iran to Restart Face-to-Face Negotiations

On April 23, Wednesday, Pakistani officials remained optimistic about the possibility of bringing the U.S. and Iran back to the negotiating table, despite Iran’s seizure of two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz creating new obstacles for their efforts to mediate long-term peace. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with the Iranian ambassador on Wednesday. A Pakistani official who received a briefing on the talks stated that a second round of negotiations could take place in the coming days. Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the U.S. and the U.K. who is familiar with the current diplomatic efforts, said, “The ceasefire has opened up space for the resumption of diplomatic avenues, and Pakistan believes this space is sufficient. Neither side has rejected negotiations.” Another Pakistani official, who also received a briefing on the negotiations and requested anonymity, indicated that following the extension of the ceasefire, Pakistani mediators had received positive signals from Iran expressing a desire to restart face-to-face talks. The official did not elaborate on what these signals were, nor did he specify whether Iran had informed Pakistani mediators that the U.S. lifting the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was a prerequisite for participating in the second round of negotiations. (The New York Times)