MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Pakistan steps up efforts toward a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and Russia joins negotiations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the Gaza destiny may await Lebanon amid continued Israeli attacks. These stories topped Thursday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is looking to intensify the negotiation process between the United States and Iran as he is trying to secure support from all players in close vicinity to Iran which are interested in peace. Sharif has departed for a tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. According to a statement from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, Saudi Arabia and Qatar will host bilateral talks involving the Pakistani PM, and in Turkey he will attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on the sidelines of which he will hold a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Alexey Portansky, Professor at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics, noted: "There is a hope that talks will yield results. Experts have to take the unpredictability of the US side into account. Many representatives of the American elite acknowledge that [US President Donald] Trump is a little crazy. And yet there is a chance of success." Commenting on why Pakistan is playing the role of a mediator, the expert explained that the country takes an even-handed approach toward the conflicting sides and that it suits both Tehran and Washington.
