• FO expects technical talks to resume on Tuesday • Hopes Hormuz tensions will ease with diplomatic progress • Urges Afghanistan to prevent terrorism emanating from its soil • Confirms govt pursuing release of crew members from hijacked tanker ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan on Wednesday expre­ssed optimism over ongoing high-level technical talks between Iran and the United States, saying progress in trade and economic cooperation with Iran would be linked to the easing of international sanctions on Tehran. Addressing the weekly press briefing, Foreign Of­f­ice spokesperson Tahir Hus­sain Andrabi said the pathway towards sanctions relief for Iran had alre­ady been initiated thr­o­ugh talks conducted in Buergenstock, Switzerland. The matter has quickly moved to the forefront of national discussion.

The Broader Picture

What is happening now can be traced back to a series of decisions and events that preceded it.

Responding to a question, the spokesman said there had been a temporary pause in technical-level discussions between Iran and the United States and that the talks would resume next Tuesday, in the presence of a Pakistani delegation.

On a question regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz, the spokesperson said Pakistan supported the initiatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council and believed in regional ownership of regional issues.

Significantly, discussing the recent visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Pakistan, Mr Andrabi said the two sides held extensive discussions on a range of issues, including expansion of trade, investment and economic cooperation.

Expert Analysis

Industry leaders, officials, and analysts have offered a range of perspectives.

He noted that progress in bilateral economic projects and trade expansion would move forward alongside the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran.

Adding further dimension to the story, “ The overall progress of economic projects and opening up of trade with Iran will take place simultaneously with the lifting of sanctions by the United States, ” he said.

Adding further dimension to the story, on Afghanistan, the spokesperson said Pakistan had implemented the majority of of its commitments related to bilateral engagement and that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had personally monitored the approach, but certain developments later created difficulties for diplomatic efforts.

Impact on Americans

The downstream effects of this situation are being assessed by officials and experts alike.

“ If diplomacy is to initiative forward, the starting point should be a clear assurance from Afghanistan that its soil will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan, ” he said.

As the story continues to develop, he indicated Pakistan would continue to work closely with China to promote regional peace and cooperation.

At the same time, replying to a query regarding Pakistan ’ s representation at the funeral of the late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, the spokesperson reported no final decision had yet been made regarding who would attend the funeral on behalf of Pakistan.

In what observers are describing as a key detail, giving details on the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed by the US and Iran, the spokesperson said Pakistan and Qatar had hosted the first high-level committee meeting in Switzerland on June 21, attended by senior representatives from Pakistan, the US, Iran and Qatar.

Meanwhile, sources familiar with the matter indicate that the group reviewed progress on the Islamab

Looking Ahead

The developments detailed here represent only the latest chapter in an ongoing story. As more information becomes available, the full picture is expected to come into sharper focus for those following the situation.