Pakistan holds fresh Tehran talks on US-Iran war proposals

Pakistan's interior minister has held another round of talks in Tehran with Iran's foreign minister on proposals aimed at ending the US-Israeli war, according to Iranian media reports. The meeting took place two days after Syed Mohsin Naqvi delivered the latest US message in the negotiations, as Pakistan continues to act as a channel of communication between Washington and Tehran. The discussions were held in the Iranian capital with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

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The reported talks come as Iran and the US remain divided over Tehran's uranium stockpile and control of the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian source said the gaps in the negotiations had narrowed, but uranium enrichment and the Strait of Hormuz were still among the main sticking points. Iranian reports said Mr Naqvi was helping to facilitate communication in an effort to build a framework for ending the war and resolving differences.

The dispute has wider consequences because the conflict has already affected the global economy through higher oil prices and fears of inflation. Before the war, about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments travelled through the Strait of Hormuz, making the waterway a central concern in any talks involving Iran. The same route is also described as carrying a fifth of global oil production under normal conditions, underlining why any disruption there is being watched closely.

The negotiations also carry regional security implications beyond the immediate war. A senior official from the United Arab Emirates said the US and Iran had only a "50-50" chance of reaching an agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The official urged Iran not to overplay its hand and said an inconclusive ceasefire would not be enough, adding that the waterway should return to normal as an international route.

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The talks are taking place against a backdrop of long-running concern over Iran's nuclear programme and the risk of escalation in the Gulf. US negotiators are focusing on Iran's potential development of an atomic weapon, while Iranian officials are seeking terms that would address the war without leaving the country exposed to further pressure. The Strait of Hormuz remains especially sensitive because it is a narrow passage through which a large share of global energy exports move.

What remains unclear is whether the latest round of discussions has produced any concrete breakthrough or only narrowed the gaps further. It is also not known whether the sticking points over uranium enrichment and the Strait of Hormuz can be resolved in the next stage of talks. The immediate question is whether Pakistan's mediation can turn the current channel of communication into a formal framework for agreement, or whether the negotiations will remain stop-start.

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