Iran and Pakistan Submit Revised Proposal; US Response Expected Today
Iran and Pakistan submitted a revised proposal to the United States late on Saturday to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, two Pakistani sources familiar with the negotiations said. A US response is expected today. “The deal is fairly comprehensive,” a Pakistani official involved in the negotiations said. “It is never over till it is done.” Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir left Tehran on Saturday after talks with Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The Pakistan military statement on Saturday described the visit as “short but highly productive” with “encouraging progress” towards a final understanding.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Saturday: “The trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days.” Baghaei separately said Tehran’s approach has been to draft a 14-point memorandum of understanding “that includes the most important issues necessary for ending the war and matters that are fundamental for us”. Foreign Minister Araghchi held a series of diplomatic calls on Saturday with counterparts in Turkey, Iraq, Qatar and Oman. Trump is expected to discuss the latest Iran draft with advisers and may decide today whether to resume attacks on Iran if the draft is rejected.