Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad on April 16 that no date has been set for another round of U.S.-Iran negotiations. “Nuclear issues are among the subjects being discussed by the countries,” he said while responding to a question during his weekly briefing, reported Pakistan’s English-language daily Dawn. “We will not comment on the positions of Tehran and the parties involved in the negotiations. This is part of the parties’ trust in us,” Andrabi said, urging the media to refrain from speculations.
When asked about the arrival and composition of the delegations for a second round of dialogue, he said, “Who will come, how large the delegation will be, who will stay, and who will leave—this is for the parties to decide.”
“The details and information of the negotiations that we had were entrusted to us by the negotiating parties,” he added. “I do not have an official announcement to make in this regard. We would announce the timing of these talks as and when it is decided.”
Such a decision may now be made very soon in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on April 16 of a ceasefire in Lebanon. Tehran had made further U.S.-Iran talks contingent on a ceasefire in Lebanon, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin had resisted.
Speculation about another round of U.S.-Iran talks centered on the arrival of Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir in Tehran on April 15 who was said to be carrying a message from the U.S. “After today’s meeting of the Pakistani delegation headed by Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir with the Iranian officials, the Iranian team will conduct the necessary review and then a decision will be made about the next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States,” an informed source told Tasnim News on April 15.
