He says there is a sense of satisfaction after the first round of talks, with no negative developments reported so far.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. Photo: screenshot
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States was expected soon and positive progress had been noted.
His statement came a day after marathon talks between the two sides in Islamabad ended without an agreement after more than 21 hours of negotiations.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament today, the minister noted that there remained a possibility of renewed dialogue between Tehran and Washington, adding that there had been a sense of satisfaction following the latest round of talks, with no negative developments reported so far.
“Only positive developments have been observed,” he commented, indicating that ongoing diplomatic efforts were moving in a constructive direction.
Read: ‘The draft was ready’: How US-Iran talks narrowly failed to deliver historic deal in Islamabad
Responding to a question on whether Pakistan would play a decisive role in shaping the future of the region, Asif said the final decisions rest with Allah.
Commenting on India, the Defense Minister adopted a critical tone and said that there seemed to be unrest there and mixed reactions were emerging.
He argued that the broader diplomatic process in the region was progressing positively and that continued negotiations were improving prospects for peace and stability.
The United States and Iran failed to reach a deal to end their war despite marathon talks that concluded Sunday in Islamabad, jeopardizing a fragile ceasefire. Each side blamed the other for the failure of 21-hour talks to end the fighting that “has killed thousands of people and sent global oil prices soaring since it began more than six weeks ago.”
US Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan after announcing that intense talks with Iran had failed to reach a deal, although he appreciated Pakistan’s efforts.
“We had been at this for 21 hours and had had several substantive discussions with the Iranians. That was the good news. The bad news was that we had not reached a deal, and I think that was bad news for Iran much more than it was for the United States of America,” he said during a news conference in Islamabad.
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On the other hand, Iran accused the United States of derailing the talks in Islamabad after both sides were close to reaching an agreement. “We had engaged with the United States in good faith to end the war,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement.
Following the failure of talks, US President Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for hosting talks between Washington and Tehran in Islamabad, while announcing that the US Navy would begin blocking the Strait of Hormuz after negotiations failed to achieve a breakthrough.
The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, killing thousands of people in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and leaving tens of thousands injured, including civilian areas, including residential buildings and religious sites.
The conflict also expanded geographically. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks against Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
To ease tensions, Pakistan had also organized a quadrilateral meeting of foreign ministers in Islamabad, with representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The meeting caught the attention of the world and was widely appreciated for Pakistan’s efforts.
Pakistan and China also jointly proposed a five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.
