PAKISTAN PERSPECTIVE

Pakistan is at the heart of the diplomatic process: Islamabad transmitted Iran's 14-point plan to the US and the US response to Tehran. According to anonymous Pakistani government sources cited by the Globe and Mail, the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Army Chief are all actively pushing both parties to resume direct negotiations.

Pakistan had hosted the first round of direct talks last month, which ended without agreement. Islamabad is now trying to facilitate a second round, highlighting that Iran's 14-point plan represents a serious opening — describing as 'greater flexibility' the two-phase proposal that decouples the military question from the nuclear question first.

Pakistan's position is delicate: on one side, Islamabad is a strategic US ally and depends on American aid; on the other, Iran is a neighbor, trading partner, and energy supplier. Pakistani mediation is the only diplomatic architecture currently operating, and its failure would deprive the international community of its last communication channel.