Damage in Iran
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is exploring a path towards a resumption of stalled US-Iran talks over ending their nearly five-month-old war, three Pakistani sources said, following a push initiated by China. Exploratory discussions took place during a visit by Iran’s interior minister Eskandar Momeni to Islamabad this week – his second within the last 10 days, the sources said. Momeni, who is considered close to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, met Pakistani govt members and army chief Asim Munir, according to Pakistani govt statements. All three sources cautioned that the obstacles to any talks with the US remain high.Pakistan has found itself in an increasingly complicated situation as a potential future mediator. Earlier this week, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, a close ally of Islamabad that signed a mutual defence treaty with Pakistan last year. Pakistan relies on Saudi financial support, and Islamabad has firmly condemned recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Being seen as too receptive to Iranian arguments could risk frustrating Riyadh. But Islamabad is similarly dependent on Beijing, which has also been a key financial backer of Islamabad, and which has economic interests in finding a diplomatic solution to reopening key West Asian trade routes. Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, also discussed the new effort with Chinese officials when he visited China last week, all three Pakistani sources said.”The Chinese are unhappy because Iran’s attacks on other Gulf states and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are hitting their interests,” a Pakistani govt official said. In a statement, China’s foreign ministry said “China supports the mediation efforts made by Pakistan and other parties.”Beijing is Iran’s largest trading partner and primary buyer of its crude oil despite international sanctions on Tehran. Over the years, China has also increased support for Iran’s security through dual-use components, chip equipment and satellite navigation systems, even though China has not overtly provided military aid to Iran since the war began.(This is a Reuters story)
