Pakistan Scrambles to Revive US-Iran Talks; Af-Pak Non-Escalation Holding

Pakistan launched an intense diplomatic push on April 13 to revive US-Iran peace negotiations following the failure of the Islamabad round (April 11–12). Pakistan's foreign ministry confirmed both sides remained in contact through Islamabad's mediation channel and that a second negotiating session was being planned before the US-Iran ceasefire expires around April 22. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir were preparing parallel diplomatic missions: Sharif to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey (departing April 15) and Munir to Tehran. On the Afghanistan-Pakistan front, the non-escalation commitment from the Urumqi accord (April 9) remained in effect. No major cross-border military incidents were reported along the Durand Line on April 13. The second round of China-mediated Af-Pak talks in Urumqi remained scheduled for end of April, but Taliban officials noted privately that Pakistan's preoccupation with the US-Iran mediation track could delay preparations for the second Af-Pak round.