Pakistan Hosts Talks on Iran War Tensions

Pakistan conducted discussions aimed at addressing the “de-escalation” of the conflict involving Iran in its capital, Islamabad, on Sunday. Interestingly, none of the key participants in the war were present at the meeting.

Instead, the dialogue featured foreign ministers from Egypt, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia. The two-day gathering was organized by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and sought to explore methods to lower tensions and facilitate negotiations between Iran and the United States, hopefully avoiding further chaos in the region.

Dar expressed optimism, stating that Pakistan aims to provide a platform for “meaningful talks” among the U.S., Iran, and Israel in the near future. However, there was no response from the U.S. State Department or the White House regarding whether they had received an invitation.

In a related note, President Donald Trump mentioned on Monday that his administration was in communication with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, portraying him as part of what he considered a “new, more rational government.”

Trump added that he anticipated being informed “within about a week” on whether Ghalibaf would be a suitable candidate for ongoing negotiations. Yet, Ghalibaf’s recent statements seemed less than rational; he accused the U.S. of speaking insincerely about a ceasefire while allegedly preparing for a ground invasion.

He declared, “Our soldiers are waiting for American soldiers to arrive on the ground and set them on fire, forever punishing our regional partners.” Ghalibaf insisted that military actions would persist and rhetoric around U.S. failures in the war was dismissed as naive.

According to him, “As long as Americans want Iran to surrender, our children’s response is clear: We will never accept humiliation.” He warned that the ongoing conflict has severe implications for energy markets and food inflation, further claiming that the U.S. military presence has been undermined.

Simultaneously, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi spoke at an energy conference in Cairo, stressing that only Trump could halt the war before oil prices spiral beyond control. He urged the U.S. president to take action, highlighting the potential for oil prices to exceed $200 per barrel if targeting energy facilities continues.

Sisi also noted concerns about disrupted distribution of food and fertilizers due to the conflict, which could pose serious stability challenges for middle-income and fragile economies, even if wealthier nations might withstand more economic pressure.