Pakistan is expecting a major breakthrough in the US-Iran nuclear talks, with officials expressing optimism that ongoing backchannel diplomacy could soon produce a deal, reported Al Jazeera.
Senior Pakistani officials believe significant progress has been made on key sticking points, particularly the duration of any uranium enrichment freeze and the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi received the Pakistani delegation and thanked Islamabad for its role in facilitating dialogue. Sources cited in the report said Pakistani mediators are continuing to relay messages between United States and Iran, with hopes that the current diplomatic push could lay the groundwork for a second round of direct talks.
Talks held earlier in Islamabad ended without a final agreement, but Pakistan has since intensified what officials describe as shuttle diplomacy to bridge remaining differences. The key unresolved issues include the length of Iran’s nuclear freeze, which is said to range between five and 20 years in current discussions, and what Tehran will do with its 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
At the same time, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on a regional diplomatic tour covering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, in what officials describe as a parallel effort of ongoing shuttle diplomacy to build broader regional support for a deal.
The diplomatic momentum was further boosted after Donald Trump said the world should expect an “amazing two days” and suggested that the conflict may be very close to ending.