Iran’s refusal to visit Pakistan for peace talks with the United States prompted marathon calls between stakeholders in Washington and Islamabad. However, Iran refused to buzz, and subsequently, President Donald Trump was forced to announce an unilateral ceasefire extension. However, the decision exposed the myth of Pakistan as an effective ‘mediator’.
Trump announces ceasefire extension
US President Donald Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely. Hours ahead of the ceasefire deadline, Trump issued several bombing threats to Iran if there is no deal. While Iran remained firm on its demand to remove the US blockade of its ports and asked Trump to back out on maximalistic demands to join the talks, the US President had only two options – extend the ceasefire unilaterally or resume the war.
While announcing the extension of the ceasefire, the President said that he was continuing the Naval blockade of Iranian ports. Iran’s government-owned PressTV said Tehran ‘unequivocally insisted on the removal of the blockade’ and said that it ‘would not rejoin negotiations under pressure’.
Trump again took cover behind Pakistan’s leaders for extending the ceasefire, asserting that it was because military chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had asked him to ‘hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal’.
Pakistan faces Iran’s ire
Iran has rejected Trump’s conditions for negotiations and added that the decision to extend ceasfire was unilateral. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed on Tuesday that Iran was not coming to Islamabad for the second round of talks. However, Iran appears to be miffed with Pakistan’s ‘double game’. Iranian state-controlled media has launched a direct offensive against Pakistan’s Army Chief and Field Marshal General Asim Munir. Iran has now questioned the neutrality of Pakistan’s mediation while accusing Islamabad of a ‘double game’. Iran has alleged that Pakistan is heavily tilting towards America publicly while reaching out to Tehran privately.
According to Iranian analysts, Iran handed its formal proposal text to Asim Munir, asking him to deliver it to the US delegation. Tehran maintained that it has received no response so far on its proposal. Iranian state TV analyst said that Pakistan has ignored Iran’s 10-point framework and is pushing 15–16 new US-backed demands. It also accused Pakistan of ‘prematurely projecting’ progress that does not exist on the ground. The state media claimed that Pakistan is trying to satisfy its international stakeholders like the US and Saudi Arabia.
What is means for India?
According to analysts, Iran’s criticism of Pakistan is a clear example of Islamabad’s duplicity diplomacy, where it tries to appease its masters rather than focusing on results. For India, this sends out a message that New Delhi’s decision to stay away from the mediation was a right call. An unreliable President and a nationalist Iran create an environment of chaos, instead of talks and diplomacy, feel experts. It also shows that the Strait of Hormuz crisis is going to take longer than expected and New Delhi must recalibrate its energy supply routes.
