Pakistan's envoy to US says Islamabad acting as facilitator in US-Iran talks, outcome depends on parties

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, on Saturday, expressed hope for a solution, stating that as a facilitator, Pakistan’s role was to bring the US and Iran together, emphasising that it was now up to the parties involved to strike a solution. “As a facilitator, Pakistan’s role is to bring the conflicting parties together and allow them to decide what satisfies them or what does not. In diplomacy, we say that at the end of any negotiation, if both sides feel an equal measure of comfort or discomfort, then the negotiations are successful because a way forward is found,” he said during his appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press NOW. Washington and Tehran are due to begin negotiations seeking to end the six-week-old Iran war that has killed thousands of people across the Middle East, disrupted energy supplies, fed inflation and slowed the global economy. The Iranian delegation, led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived in Pakistan today. Meanwhile, the US delegation, headed by Vice President JD Vance, landed in Islamabad this morning. The US delegation also included key Middle East envoys from President Donald Trump's administration, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.  During an interview, Sheikh further explained that, as a facilitator, Pakistan was essentially bringing the parties together, and we were ready to offer advice if it was solicited or required, to whatever extent needed. "However, ultimately, it is up to the conflicting parties themselves to strike a solution. While we wish them well, we bring the good intentions of the entire international community," he said. Sheikh also mentioned the overwhelming support Pakistan had received, stating, "Our leadership has been receiving calls—over 50 calls just yesterday—with support. While everyone is watching with bated breath and hoping for a positive outcome, the exact result that both sides are looking for will only be known at the end of the process." He acknowledged the intense diplomatic efforts that had gone into bringing the situation to this stage. “Pakistan, in keeping with its long-standing tradition of making things happen on the international scene, has certainly played a key role. Our partners, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, have also made significant efforts, as have many other countries, to bring things to this stage,” he said. The ambassador added, “I believe that the threads for further discussions are present within the talks themselves. Once the parties sit down in Islamabad and discuss matters at length, any issues that need to be addressed can be worked out.” He stressed that the commitments made during the discussions leading up to these talks needed to be honoured. “Whether it is one point or another, this will certainly have a positive impact, not only on the optics or completion of the process that has brought us here but also on the substantive discussions themselves.” In concluding remarks, Sheikh said, "The constructive spirit with which both sides have approached this process is what matters most, and this will be key as we move forward.”