Pakistan blames Israel for trying to derail US–Iran ceasefire negotiations
Islamabad says Israel attacked Iran when Washington and Tehran were in "stage to sit down".
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has blamed Israel for trying to spoil Islamabad's efforts to facilitate ceasefire talks between the US and Iran by attacking Tehran when "both sides were in a stage to sit down."
"A dangerous development took place last (Monday) night. Israel attacked Iran at a stage when both sides (Washington and Tehran) were set to sit down," Dar told lawmakers in the Pakistani Senate, according to local broadcaster Geo News.
"We were very optimistic (about talks) before (Monday) night," he said, adding that Iran and the US had agreed on Pakistan's facilitation, with both sides accepting talks to be held in Islamabad.
Pakistan, he further said, handed the US' 15-point conditions to Iran, and also handed to Washington Tehran's 5-point conditions.
Tehran on Monday said it sent a 10-point proposal, outlining its position on ending the war, rejecting a temporary ceasefire and calling instead for a permanent resolution.
High-level deliberations
According to the state news agency IRNA, Iran conveyed its response to a US proposal through Pakistan after two weeks of high-level deliberations.
The matter is at a "sensitive stage" as Iran attacked oil installations in Saudi Arabia, Dar said in the upper house of the Pakistani parliament.
He added Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are making joint efforts to end the raging conflict.
In a related development, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing hostilities in the region.
Support for Riyadh
Reaffirming Pakistan’s "unwavering" and "unflinching" solidarity and support for Riyadh, Sharif condemned Iran's attack on Saudi Arabia's Al Jubeil oil facility earlier on Tuesday, said a statement from Sharif's office.
Sharif lauded the "wisdom and sagacity" of the Saudi leadership in exercising "maximum" restraint during the ongoing crisis, and stated that Pakistan was working "assiduously" for the success of the peace efforts, in partnership with other countries.
He also apprised the Saudi crown prince of the latest developments in Pakistan’s mediation efforts to de-escalate the Middle East crisis.
The Saudi crown prince, in return, appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts, aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region, according to the Pakistani statement.