Dar Urges US and Iran to Uphold Ceasefire After Talks End Without Agreement in Islamabad

Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday emphasized the need for the United States and Iran to uphold their ceasefire commitments, following the conclusion of talks in Islamabad without a final agreement.

Addressing a press conference after the departure of US Vice President JD Vance, Dar stated, “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to the ceasefire,” underscoring Pakistan’s concern over maintaining regional stability.

Dar expressed appreciation to both Iran and the United States for responding to the call made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for an immediate ceasefire and for accepting Pakistan’s invitation to hold peace talks in Islamabad. He also thanked both sides for acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating dialogue and mediation.

Highlighting Pakistan’s role, Dar said that he, along with Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, participated in multiple rounds of “intense and constructive” negotiations between the two sides, which continued for nearly 24 hours before concluding earlier in the day.

He expressed hope that both countries would continue engaging in a positive spirit to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region and beyond. “Pakistan has been and will continue to play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue between Iran and the US in the days to come,” he added.

Earlier, Vice President Vance departed Pakistan after announcing that despite over 20 hours of extensive discussions, no agreement had been reached with Iran. However, he commended Pakistan’s role in hosting and mediating the talks.

“We’ve had a number of substantive discussions with the Iranians. The good news is that dialogue took place; the bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said, adding that Pakistan’s leadership made significant efforts to help bridge differences between the two sides.

He also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for their hospitality and mediation efforts, noting that any shortcomings in the negotiations were not due to Pakistan’s role, which he described as constructive and supportive.