Pakistan offers to host US Iran talks to end Middle East conflict

[Twiglets1]

Pakistan is ready to host talks between the US and Iran to settle the conflict in the Middle East, prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X on Tuesday.

He wrote:
Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the WAR in Middle East, in the interest of peace and stability in region and beyond.

Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict.

Earlier today, it was reported that Pakistan’s military leadership has been attempting to broker negotiations between the US and Iran, after the White House confirmed that Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, had a call with Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss the conflict.

Diplomatic sources said the US and Iran could meet for negotiations in Islamabad as early as this week to discuss an end to the war, which began almost a month ago.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/24/iran-war-live-updates-trump-ursula-von-der-leyen-oil-prices-energy-crisis-israel-strikes

Pakistani sources told the Guardian that the US vice-president Vance was being put forward as a probable chief negotiator for the US side if Iran peace talks in Pakistan went ahead.

Official sources in Tehran have denied any talks are under way.

However, potential intermediaries including Pakistan, Oman, Egypt and others have confirmed tentative efforts to establish channels of communication between Washington and Tehran.

A European official told Reuters that while there had been no direct negotiations between the two nations, Egypt, Pakistan and Gulf states were relaying messages.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/24/middle-east-violence-trump-claims-very-good-talks-iran

And your point is?

It's not a point it's a new development that people may be interested in.

If you're not interested in possible peace talks, you can move on.

It's also being reported by Al Jazeera that:

Iran has categorically denied that it is engaged in any talks with the US, contradicting Trump. But multiple US and Israeli media outlets have reported that Pakistan, Egypt and Turkiye have been serving as messengers between Washington and Tehran.

Some facts are confirmed: Pakistani army chief spoke to Trump on Sunday. PM Sharif called Iranian President Pezeshkian a day later. This was followed by Foreign Minister Dar holding separate calls with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/24/iran-war-live-tehran-says-trumps-claims-of-peace-talks-fake

although reported today in the guardian it’s actually old news.
al jazeera and france 24 plus dozens of podcasters all reported this yesterday afternoon.
all that aside the us naval vessels are still proceeding and there’s very little way trump can maneuver without loosing face.

I wouldn't exactly frame it as "old news" if it was first reported yesterday afternoon.

It has been discussed on MN the question of who is lying out of Trump and Iran on the issue of potential discussions about ending the war.

These reports suggest the truth is that there has been some contact between Washington and Tehran on the subject of peace talks, but via intermediaries rather than direct talks.

Yes all fully reported yesterday, we’re in a fast moving world.
During this phase bombings will increase.
Look for podcasts featuring Prof Janice Stein, older woman but expert knowledge.

Trump is manipulative and lying is a tactic.

And the same is true of the Iranian leadership. Will be interesting to see if talks do go ahead in the next few days and what happens next.

Hopefully peace terms can be agreed sooner rather than later.

The talks are going on lots of different countries and diplomats or people in positions of influence involved.
Peace means different things to different people, if the strait opens it certainly won’t settle regional conflict. I suspect there will be much longer term negative impacts from the us involvement.

If you're not interested in possible peace talks, you can move on.

You plucked that assumption out of thin air. Normally when posters interested in genuine debate link to an article, they tend to either give their opinion on it, or ask a question related to it.

Mine is, how do purported 'peace talks' fit into this news, which has been reported on various sites including in both the US and UK?

Saudi leader ‘pushing Trump to continue fighting’
The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has been pushing President Trump to continue the war against Iran, according to a report, although this was denied by the Saudi government.
The Gulf kingdom’s de facto leader argued that the US-Israeli military campaign presents a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East, The New York Times reported, citing sources briefed by US officials on a series of conversations the prince had with Trump.
Prince Mohammed, the report said, believes that Iran poses a long-term threat to the Gulf that can only be eliminated by getting rid of the government.
But senior officials in both the Saudi and American governments worry that if the conflict drags on, Iran could deliver ever more punishing attacks on Saudi oil installations and the United States could be stuck in an endless war, the report added.
In a statement to The New York Times, Saudi officials rejected the idea that Prince Mohammed has pushed to prolong the war.

What hope for peace talks when this is Israel's attitude?

But Israel is showing little sign of wanting to end the war – either against Iran, or against Hezbollah in Lebanon. An Israeli source said a deal to end the Iran war was not “tangible right now.

While it is interesting that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman has allegedly been pushing President Trump to continue the war against Iran, I don't think his opinion will determine what happens next.

It is really up to Trump & Iran if an agreement can be reached that they both can accept. It feels like they are a long way apart at the moment.

Connect the dots . Trump ... Epstein ... MBS

Trump will do what he wants to do as he always does. So if he wants the Iran war to end - and if Iran agree to it - I doubt he wouldn't strike a deal just because Israel may have wanted to continue fighting.

It would be up to Israel if they wanted to keep fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Epstein files aren't going away and will still be there after the war.

What will stop the war is the release of the unredacted Epstein Files.

How do you work that out?

trump and iran? trump could walk away with all it's kit and i don't think it would stop israel's or iran's actions. random attacks and now that the world knows closing off the strait at will with old school mines will continue.
more countries are aware that the us can't really protect them and if anything their bases are a liability will arm up themselves and lead to further regional instability.

the uk should invest in more small nuclear reactors, solar and wind, plus tap their own off shore oil. the sooner countries become more self sufficient the better.

the uk should invest in more small nuclear reactors, solar and wind, plus tap their own off shore oil. the sooner countries become more self sufficient the better.

I agree - but think this is happening to some extent:

The Spending Review 2025 confirmed the government’s biggest investment in nuclear power for a generation, supporting energy security, clean power and high-quality jobs across the UK:

• £14.2 billion for Sizewell C – the first state-backed nuclear power station since Sizewell B began construction in 1988
• over £2.5 billion for SMRs with Rolls-Royce SMR selected as preferred bidder to partner with Great British Energy – Nuclear, subject to approvals
• over £2.5 billion for nuclear fusion including support for the UK’s programme to design and build a prototype energy plant in Nottinghamshire
• £13.9 billion capital for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to continue to keep former nuclear sites safe and secure while managing the UK’s nuclear legacy
• Great British Energy and Great British Energy – Nuclear to invest more than £8.3 billion in home-grown clean power. GBE-N estimates that a project delivered under its SMR programme could support up to 3,000 skilled jobs and power up to 3 million homes
• a new framework for privately led advanced nuclear projects

www.gov.uk/government/publications/advanced-nuclear-technologies/advanced-nuclear-technologies#:~:text=The%20Spending%20Review%202025%20confirmed,B%20began%20construction%20in%201988

Trump has just given an update on the Iran war at a White House event.

The BBC report that:

Donald Trump struck an optimistic tone in the Oval Office just now, doubling down on negotiations and publicly suggesting that this conflict will end through negotiations.

From a purely military standpoint, Trump clearly believes the US has already prevailed, saying the war "has been won" and blaming any ongoing questions about that on the media.

For the first time, we heard Trump directly confirm that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are taking part in negotiations.

Who they are negotiating with, however, remains unclear, as does the substance of the negotiations or any clarity on how far along they are.

Trump has also not, so far, publicly specified what exactly he wants from the Iranians as far as concessions, other than a firm commitment - which he says the US has - that Iran will abandon its nuclear weapons programme.

Other US war aims - such as an end to Iran's support for proxy organisations in the Middle East or an end to its ballistic programme - garnered little mention.

Importantly, Trump also made no mention of Israel, or how a negotiated settlement would support their own military and geopolitical objectives in the region.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn8dldl0jx9t

The only reliable source for when a peace deal will be brokered is the betting on Polymarket.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/23/bets-us-iran-ceasefire-show-signs-of-insider-knowledge-say-experts-polymarket

#insiderdealing #Trump_corruption

So if you're right, we will see a ceasefire before 31st March:

Eight accounts, all newly created around 21 March, bet a total of nearly $70,000 (£52,000) on there being a ceasefire. They stand to make nearly $820,000 if such a deal is reached before 31 March.

Oh you summer child!
You think that's how betting works? Both the volume of bets and odds can change at any time.

Haha well I don't know anything about betting (I guess that's obvious!)