ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Pakistani lawmaker said on Thursday that Islamabad is doing its “best” to persuade the United States to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, in a bid to pave the way for the resumption of talks, which he described as the main obstacle to a second round of negotiations.
“I do expect that there’s a very high probability that the Americans and the Iranians will come to Islamabad tomorrow or maybe in the coming days. There are still a lot of gaps,” Afnan Ullah Khan, a senator in Pakistan’s upper house, told Rudaw’s Dilniya Rahman. “When I say gaps, I mean there are still unresolved issues."
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had agreed to extend the two-week ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request, giving Iranian leaders time to submit a “unified proposal” for a potential agreement. The initial truce expired on Wednesday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said on Thursday that he had instructed the US military to maintain the naval blockade on Iranian ports while remaining “ready and able.”
Trump also told US media on Wednesday that it is “possible” fresh peace talks between Washington and Tehran could take place as soon as Friday.
“For instance, issues like the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program, and other outstanding concerns, mainly related to US conduct, remain unresolved,” Ullah Khan said. “There is a strong chance both parties could find common ground and come to Islamabad. However, I remain cautiously optimistic.”
He added that intensive diplomatic messaging is ongoing.
“If you look at recent developments, the Iranians want the Strait of Hormuz reopened, while the Americans are maintaining the blockade. We are trying our best to have that lifted so the Iranians will come to Islamabad and hold face-to-face talks with the US delegation,” he said.
“There are many pitfalls in this process, and we are working to address them to ensure the negotiations succeed and reach some form of conclusion.”
Pakistan ‘taking US side’
A Pakistani opposition lawmaker, however, accused the government of siding with Washington in its mediation efforts.
“I’m not satisfied with what they have done,” said Malik Muhammad Shafqat Abbas Awan, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly, referring to authorities in Islamabad.
“If you are mediating between two parties, you must remain neutral. I don’t think the Pakistani government is neutral in this situation,” he added.
He went on to claim that Islamabad “does what Trump says, nothing else.”
“If they remain neutral, they can effectively mediate between the two sides. But they are not neutral and are helping America. Iran came for talks, but after the first meeting, the US did not cooperate,” he said.