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fragile diplomatic breakthrough halted the escalating war involving Iran after Pakistan launched an intense, last-minute mediation effort that brought United States and Tehran to the brink of direct negotiations, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks.
The ceasefire agreement came after what officials described as “intense, breathless” overnight negotiations that were close to collapse just hours earlier. The situation deteriorated sharply following an Iranian strike on a Saudi petrochemical facility, which angered Saudi Arabia and threatened to derail weeks of behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
With a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump fast approaching, Pakistani officials scrambled to maintain communication between Washington and Tehran. Trump had warned that continued fighting could have catastrophic consequences, raising the urgency of reaching an agreement.
Pakistan’s intervention involved direct outreach to key figures, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and senior Iranian military officials.
After hours of high-stakes diplomacy, Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire without preconditions and signaled willingness to enter formal negotiations.
Islamabad played a delicate balancing role. On one hand, it conveyed its “strongest ever anger” to Tehran over the strike on Saudi Arabia, a country with which Pakistan maintains close defense ties. On the other, it pressed Washington to restrain Israel from further military action.
According to sources, Iran insisted it could not engage in talks while Israeli strikes continued. Pakistan warned U.S. officials that ongoing Israeli operations risked collapsing the entire diplomatic process.
Only after receiving assurances that Israel would scale back its attacks was Pakistan able to secure Iran’s agreement to the ceasefire.
Israeli officials reportedly opposed a truce, believing continued military pressure could further weaken Iran’s leadership. However, they ultimately deferred to Washington’s decision.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that Israel had not yet achieved all its objectives and warned that military operations could resume if necessary.
An Israeli official emphasized that the ceasefire does not represent a permanent end to the war and does not include commitments such as lifting sanctions or compensating Iran.
As negotiations stretched into the night, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally urged all sides to honor a ceasefire, a move coordinated after preliminary agreement had already been reached.
Behind the scenes, discussions focused on a U.S. proposal outlining the structure of the ceasefire and the framework for future talks. Key sticking points included Iran’s demands regarding sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, its nuclear program, and regional defense arrangements.
A major breakthrough came when Iran agreed to postpone its demands and enter talks without preconditions — a concession described by sources as the most difficult part of the negotiations.
Formal negotiations are expected to begin soon, with the U.S. delegation led by JD Vance and Iranian representatives headed by Abbas Araqchi.
The talks are expected to address critical issues including Iran’s nuclear activities, missile program, and regional security concerns.
Despite the breakthrough, the ceasefire remains fragile. Officials on all sides have indicated that failure in upcoming negotiations could quickly lead to renewed hostilities.
As Sharif noted after the agreement, the overnight effort demonstrated how persistence in diplomacy can prevent even the most dire outcomes.
(Source: Reuters)
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