Pakistan urges US, Iran to 'end violence', resume technical-level talks

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to “end violence” and resume technical-level talks, while noting that the Pakistan-mediated interim peace deal was “facing challenges”.

Addressing a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi noted that the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between the US and Iran last month was “facing challenges”.

He affirmed that “Pakistan will continue to encourage all sides to end violence and resume technical-level talks in accordance” with the MoU and the joint statement issued by mediators Pakistan and Qatar on June 20.

The remarks come as the warring parties continued to trade attacks on Thursday, with the US hitting Iran’s coastal defences and missile sites and Iran retaliating by targeting US military sites in neighbouring Gulf countries.

The renewed fighting since July 8 has cast further doubt on the future of ​the Islamabad MoU agreement signed on June 18 that aimed to reopen the strait and end the war after a further 60 days of negotiations.

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