Both the American and the Iranian delegations are expected to begin peace talks in Islamabad tomorrow after the announcement of the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire. The US team is led by Vice President J.D. Vance and includes President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. The Iranian team includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi. Mohammad Ghalibaf is a former IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) commander with close ties to the hardliners.
The Islamabad meeting has come as a result of the tireless efforts of the Pakistani leaders to stop the war since it started on February 28 with the US-Israeli attack on Iran. But these efforts took on special urgency on the morning of April 7, when President Donald Trump posted an ominous warning on Truth Social: "A Whole Civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again". "We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world", Trump added. The ultimatum to Iran sent shockwaves around the world because it is a fact that the president of the United States controls one of the largest stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The post came out at 8 AM US East Coast time when it was 8 PM in Islamabad. Immediately, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir stepped up their frantic efforts to save the world as Trump's deadline approached. The world heaved a sigh of relief when, about an hour before Trump's deadline, the US president acknowledged and positively responded to a Pakistani proposal to accept a two-week ceasefire which was also approved by the Iranian leadership. The oil price dropped and the stock markets rallied in the hope of a permanent end to hostilities.
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| President Trump's Post Accepting Ceasefire with Iran |
After the ceasefire announcement two days ago, Pakistani leaders have organized a US-Iran meeting scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad. JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States is traveling to Pakistan to lead the US delegation for talks with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi.
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| Iran's 10-Point Proposal For Peace |
Iran's 10-point proposal that Trump referred to in his post as the basis of US-Iran talks includes the following:
1. Guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again.
2. Permanent end to war, not just a ceasefire.
3. End to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
4. Lifting of all US sanctions on Iran.
5. End to all regional fighting against Iranian allies.
6. Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz
7. Iran would impose a $2 million fee per ship transiting Hormuz.
8. Iran would split these fees with Oman.
9. Iran would establish rules for safe passage through Hormuz.
10. Iran would use Hormuz fees for reconstruction instead of reparations.
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| Europeans and Japanese Leaders Thank You Letter to Pakistan |
These are high-stakes negotiations that could fail but just the fact that the two sides have agreed to talk gives the world some hope of a better outcome. Meanwhile, many world leaders have thanked the Pakistani leaders for stepping up at a crucial time. But many in Pakistan's neighboring country of India are very unhappy about Pakistan's role in it. For example, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has derided Pakistan as a "dalal" (pimp) country. He is clearly unhappy that his country's campaign to isolate Pakistan has backfired. In fact, Pakistan's geopolitical profile has particularly risen after the country's robust response to what the Indian Prime Minister called "Operation Sindoor" which he launched against Pakistan last year in May.
Related Links:
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Has Modi Succeeded Militarily or Diplomatically in Isolating Pakistan After "Operation Sindoor"?
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Modi's India: A Paper Elephant?
Pahalgam Attack: Why is the Indian Media Not Asking Hard Questions?
Ukraine's Lesson For Pakistan: Never Give Up Nukes!
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Pakistan's Sea-Based Second Strike Capability
Riaz Haq Youtube Channel
VPOS Youtube Channel
1 comment:
Very well written.
I think two events diminished any leverage India might have had:
1. India losing both militarily and reputation wise in the May 2025 short battle with Pakistan.
2. India establishing a close and strategic relationship with Israel, culminating in Modi’s visit to Israel. This immediately made India a non trustworthy country in the eyes of Iran.
India never spoke a word of condemnation against the US-Israel attack on Iran. Thus India squandered considerable goodwill it had created for itself in Iran over decades.
India could not offer mediation in this dispute as it had itself refused to acknowledge mediation by Trump in stopping the India Pakistan battle.
Jaishankar is in the slammer, the dog house.
In the wrong place at the wrong time!
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