Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Pakistan had received Iran’s response to a US proposal to end the war in the Middle East.
Speaking at a ceremony held in Islamabad to commemorate Marka-i-Haq, the premier mentioned Pakistan’s efforts for de-escalation between the US and Iran, stating that Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had informed him “a while ago” that Pakistan had received Iran’s response.
“I cannot go into more detail. But, I commend the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and congratulate Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has dedicated himself [to this cause],” he said.
Earlier, Iranian media reported that Iran had sent its response to the US proposal via Pakistan.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran sent today through Pakistani mediators its response to the latest text proposed by the United States to end the war,” the official IRNA news agency said.
Iranian news agency ISNA reported that Tehran’s response to the latest US peace proposal focuses on “ending the war and maritime security”.
“It should be noted that the main focus of Iran’s response to the US proposal is on ‘ending the war and maritime security’ in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” the ISNA news agency said, without offering further details.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that Tehran’s response to the US plan focused on ending the war “on all fronts, especially Lebanon”, as well as on “ensuring shipping security”.
Later, Reuters reported, citing a Pakistani government official involved in the negotiations, that Pakistan had received Iran’s response and sent it to the US.
Iran had been reviewing the 14-point proposal from the US for formally ending hostilities and opening a 30-day negotiating window for detailed discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has largely blocked non-Iranian shipping through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which before the war carried one-fifth of the world’s oil supply and has emerged as one of the central pressure points in the war.
