The Media Line: Pakistan Says US-Iran Backchannel Talks Continue Despite Tehran Rejecting 15-Point Plan  

Pakistan Says US-Iran Backchannel Talks Continue Despite Tehran Rejecting 15-Point Plan  

Security analyst Steven Radil told The Media Line, “Pakistan also has its own economic incentives to press for an end to the war, which has disrupted its oil and natural gas supply chains.” 

By Arshad Mehmood/ The Media Line 

[ISLAMABAD] As Iran publicly rejected a US 15-point ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, hardening its stance and issuing a sweeping counteroffer, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, on Thursday asserted that indirect engagement between Washington and Tehran remains firmly underway. 

In a statement posted on X, Dar said that backchannel communication between the United States and Iran is actively being conducted through messages relayed by Pakistan. He added that the United States has shared a 15-point framework, which Iran is currently deliberating. 

Dar dismissed what he described as “unnecessary speculation” in the media regarding peace talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He further noted that mediating countries, including Turkey and Egypt, are also supporting the initiative. 

Reaffirming Islamabad’s position, Dar said Pakistan remains fully committed to promoting peace and is making all possible efforts to ensure stability in the region and beyond, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy are the only paths forward.  

Dar tagged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, and Steve Witkoff, US special envoy for the Middle East, in his post. 

Reports of talks between the United States and Iran began circulating on Monday after Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that negotiations between Washington and Tehran were underway and that decisions on potential strikes on Iran’s power plants had been deferred. 

Soon after, reports began to emerge suggesting that indirect engagement was taking place through Pakistan’s mediation. 

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in an X post: “Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honored to host and facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict.” 

The United States President Donald Trump also shared this statement by Sharif on Truth Social, fueling speculation that Washington may be open to negotiations facilitated by Pakistan. 

According to reports, over the past 72 hours, Pakistani leaders have held phone conversations with the presidents of Iran and the United States. 

The White House confirmed to the BBC that a discussion took place between Donald Trump and Pakistan’s Asim Munir, but no further details were provided. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke on the phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, emphasizing the need to reduce tensions “through dialogue and diplomacy.” 

Iran has formally replied to the United States’ 15-article proposal, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, confirming that Tehran’s response was delivered through intermediaries on Wednesday night and that it is now awaiting Washington’s reaction. 

According to Tasnim, Iran has made it clear in its response that the aggressive acts of assassination must end, concrete conditions should be established to ensure that war does not recur, compensation and war reparations must be guaranteed and clearly determined, and the end of the war should be implemented on all fronts and for all resistance groups that took part in this battle throughout the region. 

Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is a natural and legal right and will continue to be, and it also serves as a guarantee of the other party’s commitments and must be recognized, Tasnim reported. 

Analysts say that Pakistan’s close ties with both Washington and Tehran position it as a credible and stable mediator in resolving the dispute. 

Diplomatic circles in Islamabad say that Iran’s rejection of the US 15-point ceasefire plan is nothing more than a diplomatic maneuver. Just hours later, an Iranian Foreign Ministry statement confirmed that Tehran had received the US proposal, followed by reports that Iran had sent its own demands to Washington through intermediaries. 

Islamabad has therefore become the focal point of all diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving an immediate ceasefire and establishing a lasting atmosphere of peace worldwide. Following Pakistan’s formal offer to host the talks, experts discussed with The Media Line the role of Islamabad and the rapidly evolving developments in the region.  

Sajjad Azhar, a Rawalpindi-based political analyst, told The Media Line, “The Iranian regime now seeks both a seat at the negotiating table and face-saving, because at stake is not only its authority within Iran but also its influence over the global Shia population, including in the Middle East and Pakistan, which idealizes it.” 

He claimed that President Trump is not revealing the full truth, aware of his declining credibility at home, and Netanyahu seeks to keep the Israeli public in the dark. 

“This creates an extremely delicate situation, with slim prospects for peace and a higher likelihood that, should negotiations fail, all three parties could drag the entire region into a survival struggle. There is also the danger—albeit uncertain—of prohibited weapons being used against Iran,” Azhar underlined. 

He noted that Pakistan currently maintains a neutral stance, but the United States seeks to draw it into the conflict. 

“Even a minor misstep by Iran could make Pakistan a party to the dispute. With a defense agreement in place with Saudi Arabia, Islamabad faces a highly sensitive and precarious situation.” 

Steven Radil, a Colorado-based conflict and security analyst, told The Media Line that “Pakistan is well-positioned for the current moment for several reasons.” 

“Despite its defense ties with Saudi Arabia, it is still viewed as relatively neutral among the warring parties, while its large Shia population creates a cultural linkage with Iran that few other potential mediators—such as Turkey, Egypt, or Gulf states—can match,” Radil explained. 

“Pakistan also has its own economic incentives to press for an end to the war, which has disrupted its oil and natural gas supply chains,” Radil added. 

On regional signaling, Radil said, “Pakistan’s reported strikes on the former US Bagram air base in Afghanistan could indicate [more] strategic alignment with Washington.” 

He concluded, “More importantly, Islamabad may see mediation in the Iran conflict as a way to strengthen its position with the US, potentially gaining leverage in any future confrontation with India.” 

Colonel (retired) Asad Mehmood, an Islamabad-based senior security and geopolitical analyst, told The Media Line that “America of February 28 is not the same as the Washington of today and that the attack on Iran was a clear violation of international laws and principles, even during the negotiations that preceded the current war.” 

Mehmood added that “the situation has changed dramatically, even within the US, opposition is growing among Trump and his closest allies. Unlike in Afghanistan, NATO is not backing the United States this time.” 

Observers, he noted, suggest that President Trump, apparently coordinating with Israel, may have taken this extreme step to divert attention from the Epstein Files scandal. As a result, he said, the US now stands largely isolated on the global stage, with Israel appearing as its sole ally. 

Mehmood further noted that “the Iranian people have never wanted to remain in a constant state of war, and for the first time, their nationalism is visible worldwide. Few expected such resilience, which has surprised the international community.” 

Meanwhile, American citizens are questioning President Trump over the cost of his policies. While Iran has not “won,” he noted, it has suffered significant losses and will require billions in reconstruction costs. 

He underlined that “the key question now is what comes next. Pakistan holds a pivotal role as a mediator between Tehran and Washington.” According to Colonel Mehmood, the coming days will clarify the situation, and the US-brokered ceasefire “is expected to be extended.” 

He emphasized that Pakistan’s role is central in ending the conflict and ensuring regional stability. 

On the other hand, the British news agency Reuters reported, citing a Pakistani official, that Israel had removed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf from its hit list. 

The report said Pakistan had urged Washington not to target these individuals. 

The official told Reuters that “Israel had their coordinates and intended to eliminate them. We conveyed to the United States that if they were also taken out, there would be no one left to negotiate with. Subsequently, the US asked Israel to step back.” 

Asked whether Araghchi and Ghalibaf had been removed from an Israeli hit list following a request from Pakistan, Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said the military “has a rigorous process before every operation and every strike,” but added: “I’m not going to go into specific potential targets.”