Iran says it cannot be forced into dialogue through ‘deadline threat’ as Pakistani official sources confirm sharing ceasefire proposal with Tehran
- Sustained ceasefire prerequisite, but things ‘have not yet reached stage’ for peace talks to begin, experts tell Anadolu
Anadolu staff
ISTANBUL
Iran wants the US and Israeli forces to “immediately halt their hostilities, particularly targeting top Iranian leadership, in addition to the “unconditional” withdrawal of US President Donald Trump’s “deadline” on the Strait of Hormuz, Pakistani official sources told Anadolu on Monday, confirming a ceasefire proposal was shared with Tehran.
“Iran has conveyed to Islamabad that it will only consider the proposal if the US and Israel immediately halt all kinds of hostilities against Iran, including targeting its senior military and civilian leaders,” said the sources privy to developments, stressing not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.
The statement came as Tehran on Monday confirmed the killing of Majid Khadmi, intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, while reports had suggested that a 45-day ceasefire proposal had been made.
Tehran said it cannot be forced to enter into any dialogue through “deadline threat,” according to the Pakistani sources.
Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Asim Munir and the country’s top diplomat Ishaq Dar are in “constant” contact with US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, respectively, in an attempt to persuade the two sides to come to the negotiation table, the sources added.
The ceasefire proposal, the sources said, includes an immediate ceasefire, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, within two to three weeks to finalize a broader settlement, and subsequent in-person talks in Islamabad.
Trump said on Sunday there was a strong chance of reaching an agreement with Iran as soon as Monday, while also threatening to escalate attacks dramatically if Tehran fails to deliver quickly.
Notably, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told a news briefing in Tehran on Monday that it communicated its demands to the US side through third parties.
“We have formulated our own set of demands based on our interests and considerations. We are not ashamed to voice our legitimate and logical demands,” Baqaei said when asked if there is any new plan for ending the war between Iran and the US.
Baqaei also rejected the idea of a ceasefire with the US, saying any pause in fighting could allow its adversaries to regroup and resume attacks.
Pakistan has positioned itself to mediate between the US and Iran, leveraging its good relations with Washington and Tehran, and strategic and defense partnerships with China and Saudi Arabia.
‘Sustained ceasefire prerequisite for direct peace talks’
Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi declined to confirm or deny reports that Islamabad had proposed a framework to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.
But Andrabi said the “peace process is ongoing.”
Amid the ongoing claims and counterclaims, Pakistani journalist and analyst Iftikhar Firdous said officials from Pakistan and Iran “have already held a physical meeting.”
“The meeting lasted for a few hours in Pakistani territory a few days ago,” Firdous said on US social media company X.
Neither Islamabad nor Tehran has confirmed nor denied the claims by Firdous, who leads the Khorasan Diary outlet.
“One of the main demands that has emerged from the Iranian side is a sustained ceasefire as a prerequisite for direct peace talks to begin,” Firdous told Anadolu in a text message.
However, he cautioned: “The process of how the negotiations are taking place has been kept extremely confidential because of the high stakes involved in an extreme security environment.”
‘Difficult to predict any final outcome at this stage’
Mansoor Ahmad Khan, a Pakistani diplomat who served as Islamabad’s top diplomat in neighboring Afghanistan during the Afghan Taliban’s return to power in 2021, told Anadolu it was “difficult to predict any final outcome on peace at this stage.”
For the “realization” of a ceasefire and negotiating a comprehensive peace agreement, Iranian and US officials “will be required to sit together and negotiate with each other,” Khan said in a phone interview.
“It appears that the things have not yet reached that stage,” he added.
Khan said: “The major difference between the two sides in reaching an understanding remains on future guarantees on not attacking Iran again and the unconditional opening of the Strait of Hormuz in the absence of such assurances.”
“Therefore, due to complexities surrounding this war, it is difficult to predict any final outcome on peace at this stage,” he added.
Calling Pakistani Field Marshall Asim Munir “a trusted arbiter between the United States and Iran,” Firdous said Pakistan has positioned itself as a “trusted intermediary” between two hostile powers like Iran and the United States.”
“The real issue,” he stressed, is “Tehran’s strategic calculus… based on the history of negotiations,” he said, referring to past US-Iran talks.
While Pakistan shares “strong ties” with Iran based on geography, security cooperation, and shared interests, Firdous said Pakistan has a “working relationship with the US…strategic relations with China, Gulf states, as well as Türkiye.”
“This multi-vector diplomacy is exactly why Pakistan is not a liability, but a rare advantage,” he emphasized.
Read: Iran at War: Ancient Roots, Modern Conflicts
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Courtesy: Anadolu Agency
