Tehran says it has not refused talks in Islamabad, as Pakistan also rejects reports of stalled mediation efforts
April 4, 2026: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has denied reports that Tehran refused mediation talks in Islamabad, saying its position has been misrepresented in sections of the US media. In a post on X, Araghchi thanked Pakistan for its diplomatic efforts and clarified that Iran has “never refused” to engage in talks in Islamabad. He stressed that Tehran’s priority remains securing terms for a “conclusive and lasting end” to what it described as an imposed war.
The clarification came after reports by The Wall Street Journal and Dawn suggested that mediation efforts had slowed due to a lack of response from Iran. Responding to these claims, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the reports as “baseless” and a “figment of imagination,” attributing the confusion to a misinterpretation of a background briefing held at the Foreign Ministry.
The developments come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts by Pakistan to broker a ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar recently discussed a five-point peace proposal with Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud following consultations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Despite these efforts, a breakthrough in the conflict remains elusive.