Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced in the country’s National Assembly on Tuesday, June 23, that technical negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States are scheduled to take place within the next 60 days. According to him, these talks will address issues including Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles, sanctions relief, and Iran’s frozen assets.
Expressing optimism regarding this process, he stated: “We are entirely hopeful, Inshallah (God willing), that by the grace of Almighty Allah, this memorandum of understanding will be transformed into a sustainable and long-term agreement over the next 60 days.”
In response to these remarks, Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the Pakistani prime minister’s statements about the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile program being raised in the negotiations are “completely incorrect and likely stem from a lack of information.”
Fars further wrote that Pakistan currently “does not play much of a role in mediating the negotiations” and that Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks were primarily intended to “exaggerate Islamabad’s intermediary role.”
The news agency added that under the current circumstances, Qatar plays the most effective role in the mediation process between the Islamic Republic and the United States.
