News Desk
TEHRAN: Iran had conveyed a proposal to Pakistan aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to remarks carried by Iranian media and reported by Al Jazeera on Saturday, in a development that underscored renewed diplomatic maneuvering amid heightened regional tensions.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Tehran had presented its plan to Islamabad with the intention of using Pakistan’s position as a mediator to help secure what he described as a permanent end to what Iran termed an imposed war. His comments suggested that Iran had sought to position Pakistan as a neutral channel through which a potential diplomatic settlement could be explored.
Gharibabadi said it was now effectively up to the United States to decide whether it would pursue a negotiated settlement or continue on a confrontational path. He framed the situation as a critical juncture, implying that the direction of the conflict would depend on Washington’s response to diplomatic overtures rather than battlefield developments alone.
In his remarks, the Iranian official added that Tehran had been prepared for either outcome, saying that Iran would continue to prioritize what it viewed as its national interests and security considerations regardless of the path chosen by other parties. The statement reflected a dual-track posture often adopted by Iranian officials, signaling openness to dialogue while simultaneously maintaining readiness for continued escalation if talks failed to materialize.
The proposal, however, left key questions unanswered, including whether the United States or other involved parties would be willing to respond to or engage with the Iranian initiative at this stage of the conflict.
