https://arab.news/wzpfc
- US, Iranian officials met in Islamabad on Saturday but failed to reach an agreement to end their six-week war
- The statement came after US President Donald Trump said he did not care if Iran came back to the negotiations
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday hinted at the resumption of a dialogue between the United States (US) and Iran after weekend talks in Islamabad failed to reach an agreement to end their six-week war.
US and Iranian officials met in Islamabad on Saturday against the backdrop of a fragile two-week ceasefire announced days earlier that offered a lull in the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
However, the talks, which continued for over 20 hours, ended without a deal to end the war that has disrupted global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and has seen Iran attack Israel and US interests in the Gulf in retaliation.
Pakistan and several other world countries have urged both sides to uphold the ceasefire and offered their assistance to bring about a diplomatic settlement to the issue.
“As per my estimates, there still are some chances for the talks, initiative [to resume]. There is a sense of reassurance,” Asif told reporters on Monday, when asked if the negotiations process was likely to continue.
“God willing, I don’t want to speculate. But the atmosphere after the talks is fine, it is good. Nothing negative has come out, only positive things are emerging.”
Asked if he expected a conclusion at the next round, the minister replied: “God willing. As I said, God is pleased with us, and we should pray that His blessings are there in all these things.”
Asif’s comments came hours after US President Donald Trump said he did not care if Iran came back to the negotiations.
“I don’t care if they come back or not. If they don’t come back, I’m fine,” Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, upon his return from Florida.
The US president on Sunday threatened to impose an immediate naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, in his first public comments after the 21-hour talks.
Trump sought to exert strategic control over the waterway that was responsible for the shipping of 20 percent of global oil supplies before the war that began on Feb. 28, hoping to eliminate Iran’s key source of leverage.
“Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, and they knowingly failed to do so. This caused anxiety, dislocation, and pain to many people and Countries throughout the World,” the US president said on Truth Social.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. At some point, we will reach an ‘ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT’ basis.”
A US blockade is likely to further rattle global energy markets and prices for oil, natural gas and related products. It was not immediately clear how a blockade might be carried out, but Trump said the goal of the blockade was to ensure all ships could transit.