Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday clarified that Tehran has “never declined” Pakistan’s offer to host peace talks aimed at ending the ongoing US–Israel conflict with Iran.
Addressing reports in the US media, Araghchi wrote on X that Iran’s position had been “misrepresented” and expressed gratitude to Pakistan for facilitating dialogue. He stressed that Iran’s focus is on reaching a “conclusive and lasting end” to what it calls the illegal war imposed upon it.
Accompanying his statement, Araghchi shared a video of Iranians waving Pakistani flags in appreciation, concluding his post with “Pakistan Zindabad” in Urdu.
The clarification comes after the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed mediators, that Pakistan-led efforts for a US-Iran ceasefire had stalled. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and FM Ishaq Dar welcomed Araghchi’s statement, calling it a “clarification,” while Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi described it as a timely reminder against speculation.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator in the peace process, leveraging its diplomatic relations with the US, Iran, and strategic partnership with China. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif previously offered Islamabad as a venue for “meaningful and conclusive talks,” and last week hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers’ meeting reaffirming this role. On March 31, Pakistan and China jointly proposed a five-point plan calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the region.
