Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has firmly rejected media narratives claiming Tehran refused peace talks in Pakistan. He said Western media is distorting Iran’s diplomatic stance and spreading disinformation.
Araghchi said in a public statement that Iran’s position is being “misrepresented by US media”. He innsisted that Tehran has “never refused to go to Islamabad” for negotiations to end the war. He reaffirmed Tehran’s deep appreciation for Pakistan’s mediation efforts but stressed that any dialogue must lead to a “conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us.”
The Iranian minister also warned of grave risks associated with continued military action, including potential nuclear safety concerns following attacks near the Bushehr nuclear plant.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) earlier also responded to the false media reports with its own clarification. It denied that its bid to mediate between Washington and Tehran had collapsed, and called negative speculation “baseless” and a “figment of imagination” of war crime instigators. The government urged media outlets to rely on official statements rather than rumors.
Rumors about these talks have become somewhat viral after Iran downed one or maybe two US fighter jets inside its airspace and continued retaliatory strikes. Despite this, concern over energy supply disruption through the Strait of Hormuz has intensified.
While indirect messaging and backchannel communication continue, formal, direct negotiations have yet to be scheduled, and mistrust between Tehran and Washington is a big issue.
