'Figment of imagination': Pakistan rages as reports suggest Iran peace bid collapse

After reports emerged of Iran "formally" informing mediators that it will not attend proposed talks with American officials in Islamabad, and the news went viral, Pakistan slammed all such reports claiming that its initiative to facilitate talks between the United States and Iran had run into obstacles. Foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the news as “baseless” and a “figment of imagination."

“We have noted several reports in the media, including on social media, citing so-called official government sources regarding the ongoing conflict in the region and Pakistan's efforts to promote peace and dialogue,” Andrabi was reported as saying by news agency PTI.

“We categorically reject these false insinuations attributed to purported official sources as baseless and a figment of imagination. Any attribution to official sources in this regard is incorrect," he further said.

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Andrabi said the controversy emerged from a misread background briefing held on Friday at the ministry of foreign affairs. He urged restraint in reporting such news at a time when there is heightened tension in West Asia.

“We therefore urge all media platforms to exercise due diligence, avoid speculation and rely exclusively on officially issued statements and media readouts for accurate and timely information,” he said.

The war that started when US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has spiralled into a multi-country crisis. Iranian missile and drone attacks have targeted several Gulf states.

Pakistan as mediator in Iran war

So far, countries like Saudi Arabia have shown restraint, but Tehran’s continuing attacks can ignite a broader conflict.

For Pakistan the mediation is more about preventing regional spillover and getting entangled in the conflict than it is about securing peace.

Also its security commitments in the region, including its obligation to defend Saudi Arabia in case of escalation has forced Islamabad to offer to mediate.

Though Pakistan has not achieved anything concrete in the path of brokering a ceasefire, it has definitely managed to keep itself away from the conflict.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.