PARIS: World figures urged the United States and Iran to keep negotiating after marathon Washington-Tehran talks in Islamabad ended on Sunday without a deal to end the war in the Middle East.
“It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to cease fire,” said Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar, whose government hosted the talks and acted as a mediator.
“Pakistan has been and will continue to play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America in the days to come,” he said in a brief statement broadcast by state media.
Diplomacy is “essential” to resolve the war in the Middle East, a European Union spokesman said.
READ MORE: Iranian delegation leaves Islamabad after peace talks
Noting failed US-Iranian talks hosted by Pakistan, EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said “we salute Pakistan for its mediation efforts” and added Brussels would contribute to further efforts to reach a settlement in coordination with its partners
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that he was ready to help mediate efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, the Kremlin said.
“Vladimir Putin emphasised his readiness to further facilitate the search for a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict, and to mediate efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” the Kremlin said in its readout of the call.
“It’s obviously disappointing that we haven’t yet seen a breakthrough in negotiations and an end to this war in Iran that is a sustainable one,” UK health minister Wes Streeting told Sky News.
“As ever in diplomacy, you’re failing, until you succeed. So while these talks may not have ended in success, (it) doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in continuing to try,” he added.
“The priority now must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement, adding it was “disappointing that the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran have ended without agreement”.
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