Article content(Bloomberg) — Pakistan and Egypt ramped up diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war with a flurry of calls in the past 24 hours before President Donald Trump’s deadline to escalate the conflict expires.
Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentBoth Pakistan and Egypt have been relaying messages between Washington and Tehran to help de-escalate the conflict, which is now in its fifth week. Trump said Monday that Vice President JD Vance was talking to Iran through Pakistani intermediaries. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Tuesday he held talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, as well as Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentIran has so far refused to agree to the ceasefire terms relayed via Pakistan. Leaders in Iran have instead called for a permanent end to the war, reconstruction efforts and the lifting of sanctions, in addition to protocols for ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.
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Article contentOn Tuesday, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan signaled there may be some progress, saying Islamabad’s efforts were at a “critical and sensitive” stage.
Article contentOther nations are also stepping up efforts to find a peaceful resolution. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday she is seeking talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Trump.
Article contentOn Monday, Dar spoke to his counterparts from Canada, Portugal and Japan, as well as Hamish Falconer, a UK Foreign Office minister. According to readouts from Pakistan, the talks focused on the evolving situation in the Middle East and calls for de-escalation and dialog.
Article contentEgypt’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday Abdelatty held calls with Witkoff, Dar and Iraq’s foreign minister. He reviewed efforts being made by Egypt to de-escalate tensions and stressed the importance of dialog and diplomacy to reach a solution that avoids “a catastrophic scenario” from which no party would be immune, the ministry said.
Article contentIslamabad has been positioning itself as a possible facilitator of talks, hosting the foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia in the country’s capital on March 29. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dar have also had several discussions with Pezeshkian and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the past month.
Article contentDar spoke with his Iranian counterpart on March 5, hours after Trump set a 48-hour deadline for Iran to make a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz or face “hell.”
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