Pakistan has stepped up its diplomatic engagement with Iran by inviting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to visit Islamabad for talks, amid renewed uncertainty surrounding relations between the United States and Iran. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar extended the invitation during a telephone conversation with Araghchi, as both leaders discussed regional and international developments, including the deteriorating situation in Occupied East Jerusalem. Iran has not yet publicly responded to the invitation.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Office, the discussions form part of Islamabad's broader diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and reduce tensions in West Asia. Separately, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has also invited his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, to visit Pakistan. Officials say the outreach reflects Pakistan's intention to maintain its role as a trusted diplomatic intermediary at a time when concerns over a possible military escalation in the Gulf remain high.

A senior Pakistani government official told PTI that Islamabad is deliberately maintaining a relatively low public profile while continuing diplomatic engagement behind the scenes. Pakistan has been actively involved in previous mediation efforts, having hosted peace talks in April and later participated in technical-level negotiations in Switzerland following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran in June. Pakistan also signed the agreement as a guarantor in support of the peace initiative.

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Despite those diplomatic efforts, negotiations between Washington and Tehran reportedly collapsed in early July after renewed military strikes and disagreements over alleged violations of the agreement, including disputes related to the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The latest diplomatic initiative also follows US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend planned military strikes against Iran after appeals from key regional leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the leaders of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, to allow more time for negotiations.

Fresh uncertainty has emerged after Trump claimed that negotiations with Iran were continuing, while Iranian officials insisted that no talks with Washington were underway or scheduled. Even so, Tehran has continued to acknowledge Pakistan's role in facilitating communication between the two sides. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghei recently said Pakistan remained a mediator in discussions involving Iran and the United States, while Qatar continued to assist the diplomatic process when required. Islamabad's latest outreach underscores its efforts to keep diplomatic channels open as regional stakeholders seek to prevent further escalation in West Asia.

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