Pakistan PM Sharif wants to host next US-Iran peace talks

JAKARTA·SEOUL=Yonhap News Agency) Reporter Son Hyun-kyu, Reporter Cha Byung-seop = Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is mediating peace talks between the United States and Iran, has stated that he wants to host the bilateral talks again.

Prime Minister Sharif said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on the 24th (local time), "Pakistan will continue its peace efforts with utmost sincerity." He added, "I hope to be able to host the next (peace) talks (between the US and Iran) soon."

He added, "(This morning) on behalf of Pakistan, Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir had a phone call with US President Donald Trump," and "It was a beneficial opportunity to discuss how to advance the ongoing efforts for lasting peace."

General Munir was a key figure in facilitating the first peace talks between the US and Iran held in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, last month.

Earlier today, President Trump released a message to the effect that the peace talks were 'down to the final agreement' after discussing matters related to Iran with the heads of state or high-ranking officials of mediator countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar.

However, Iran, while acknowledging some progress in the negotiations by revealing that Munir had visited Tehran last month to mediate, is showing a cautious attitude due to the US's past actions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a message posted on the presidential office's website, stated that Iran is pursuing its legitimate national interests and that a particularly cautious attitude is necessary, considering past US negotiation precedents.

Pakistan mediated the first peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad on April 11-12, but no agreement was reached at the time.

The two countries, currently in a ceasefire, did not even participate in the second round of talks, which was expected on April 21, and have continued indirect negotiations behind the scenes through Pakistan's mediation.

According to China's official Xinhua News Agency and others, Prime Minister Sharif arrived in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the previous day, and is currently on a 3-night, 4-day visit to China.

Prime Minister Sharif attended the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding on establishing friendly exchange relations between local governments of the two countries yesterday, and today he is attending an investment event related to the IT, telecommunications, and battery industries between the two countries in Hangzhou and will also visit Alibaba Group.

During this visit to China, he is scheduled to hold talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common interest. There will also be events commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Regarding the discussion of the Middle East situation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Zhaokui emphasized in a recent briefing, "China supports Pakistan in playing a role in promoting peace and ending the war through fair and balanced mediation." He added, "China will actively contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East region together with the international community."

Therefore, it is speculated that the Middle East situation will also be a major agenda item during Prime Minister Sharif's visit to China.

Previously, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari visited China from April 25 to May 1, and the foreign ministers of the two countries discussed the Middle East situation in a phone call on May 13.

The Hong Kong media South China Morning Post (SCMP) noted that Prime Minister Sharif's visit to China comes amid ongoing peace negotiations related to the Iran war, evaluating that Pakistan is seeking support for its mediation efforts.

However, Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Afghanistan Research Center at Lanzhou University, predicted that while China would support Pakistan's mediation efforts, it would be hesitant to directly intervene in resolving the Middle East conflict.

In contrast, Alhamra Siddiqa, a researcher at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in Pakistan, stated that the visit to China has more strategic weight than usual high-level exchanges and expressed expectations that it could advance "a broader consultation mechanism on the Gulf region, the Middle East, energy security, shipping, and connectivity."

She added that China is "quietly engaging with all sides while maintaining a restrained public stance," noting China's sequential contact with the US, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran.

Previously, President Trump visited China from the 13th to the 15th, and President Vladimir Putin visited China from the 19th to the 20th, holding summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, respectively.