ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has said on Wednesday that technical-level talks between Iran and the United States are currently underway and have yielded a significant breakthrough, marking a positive step forward in the process.
“The discussions between the two parties are expected to resume next week, probably on Tuesday or Wednesday, after a temporary pause. All parties remain engaged at the negotiating table, and the talks have produced encouraging outcomes.”
He stated this while replying to several queries during a weekly media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
The spokesperson said discussions on ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and restoring the pre-war status are progressing, though full restoration is expected to take time.
In their role as mediators, he said technical teams from Pakistan and Qatar will remain engaged with their counterparts from the United States and Iran in the coming weeks to ensure the effective implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Islamabad MoU and the Lucerne Summit reinforce our faith in dialogue and diplomacy as the most effective means for the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts, the spokesperson said.
“We welcome the positive recognition and encouraging remarks from various countries, partners, and members of the international community regarding Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace, dialogue, and de-escalation efforts.”
As a follow-up to the signing of the Islamabad MoU on June 18, the FO spokesperson stated that Pakistan hosted the first High-Level Committee Meeting under its framework in Burgenstock, Switzerland, along with Qatar on 21st June. Regarding Afghanistan, Andrabi emphasised that Pakistan pursued a diplomatic approach from 2021 to 2025; however, Kabul’s response remained largely negative. Pakistan has exhausted all available diplomatic avenues in its engagement with Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the prevailing security situation has necessitated measures beyond diplomacy alone.
He further stated, “Pakistan maintains that Afghan territory is being used against its interests. Pakistani actions are not directed against the Afghan people but are focused solely on terrorist elements responsible for unrest and instability inside Pakistan.”
He remarked that Islamabad continues to seek credible and verifiable assurances from Kabul that Afghan soil will not be used to destabilise Pakistan anymore.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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