Pakistan-facilitated US-Iran talks nearing breakthrough, media reports

(SeaPRwire) –   The odds of reaching a deal focused on Tehran’s nuclear program have risen significantly, Al Jazeera has reported

U.S.-Iran talks mediated by Pakistan to end the latest Middle East conflict are nearing a breakthrough, Al Jazeera has reported.

The likelihood of securing a deal on Tehran’s nuclear program has improved notably, the news outlet reported, citing Pakistani sources.

Iran’s nuclear program has been a core point of contention in negotiations with the U.S. aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, after Washington announced a ceasefire on April 7.

U.S. and Iranian negotiators have been at odds over the length of any uranium enrichment freeze that Tehran would implement as part of its nuclear program.

The nation’s stockpile of 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium also remains a thorny sticking point.

Renewed optimism about breaking the negotiating deadlock came after a Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to hold talks focused on resolving the Middle East conflict.

The delegation members continued to relay messages between Washington and Tehran, the news outlet said.

The Al Jazeera report noted that Munir brought a new message from the U.S., adding that he plans to facilitate another round of talks between Tehran and Washington.

The initial round of U.S.-Iran talks, led by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, ended without a breakthrough in Islamabad on Sunday.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye this week was part of a “double-pronged strategy” to neutralize any detractors to a deal, the news outlet said.

The options being considered include transferring Iran’s uranium stockpile to a third country overseas or lowering its enrichment level to either natural uranium or up to 3 percent, according to the report.

The conflict between the U.S. and Iran is nearly resolved, President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday.

Trump also stated that a 20-year uranium enrichment moratorium for Iran is not long enough, referencing a reported proposal made by Vance in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reportedly said on Thursday that no dates have been set for the next round of talks between the U.S. and Iran.