Pakistan pushes for dialogue as Iranian envoy meets PM

ISLAMABAD: A day after a US-Iran ceasefire was extended and a planned second round of talks failed to take place, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday urged Iran to participate in the next round of negotiations. In a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam, the prime minister discussed “the ongoing regional situation and peace efforts”, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. The meeting followed US President Donald Trump’s decision on Wednesday to extend the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, just hours before it was due to expire, in a move aimed at allowing further diplomatic engagement. READ ALSO: PM Shehbaz, Iran’s envoy discuss peace efforts Earlier on Wednesday, shortly after Trump announced the ceasefire extension, Sharif wrote on X that Pakistan would continue efforts towards a comprehensive settlement of the US-Iran conflict and urged both sides to uphold the ceasefire. He said Islamabad would keep working to facilitate dialogue aimed at a lasting resolution. “On my personal behalf and on behalf of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, I sincerely thank President Trump for graciously accepting our request to extend the ceasefire to allow ongoing diplomatic efforts to take their course, ” Sharif wrote. He added that Pakistan would continue its “earnest efforts for negotiated settlement” to the conflict, expressing hope that both sides would observe the ceasefire and conclude a comprehensive “peace deal” during the second round of talks expected to take place in Islamabad, aimed at a permanent end to the conflict. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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