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ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan-led initiative<\/a> to facilitate US-Iran talks has been held up, with Tehran yet to formally respond to proposals for dialogue despite back channel exchanges in recent days, a senior official told Dawn<\/em> on Friday.<\/p>\n The official, who was speaking on background, said some ground had been covered, with messages relayed between Washington and Tehran, but the absence of a clear Iranian signal has slowed momentum at this critical stage.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is surprising that despite the obliteration of significant naval, air force, and other military and civilian infrastructure, Iran has not responded positively to calls for negotiations,\u201d the official, who is familiar with the discussions, said.<\/p>\n He said both Pakistan and China had urged Iran to engage, but \u201cTehran has so far not conveyed its readiness to take part in the dialogue.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that Pakistani leaders, despite Tehran not giving a reply, have remained in contact with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in an effort to revive the process persuading them to accept American offer of talks.<\/p>\n Pakistan has positioned itself as a facilitator in this process, leveraging its ties with US, its working relationship with Iran, and its strategic partnership with China. This initiative is being spearheaded by Army Chief and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir.<\/p>\n The official said that besides messages between the two sides, Pakistan was simultaneously building support for the prospective talks through parallel engagements with Gulf countries, Turkiye and Beijing. He underscored the challenge of convincing Arab countries, who remain staunchly opposed to Iran and are maintaining a harsh line against it, for not opposing de-escalation.<\/p>\n A framework for potential negotiations has already been discussed, and all sides have indicated Islamabad as a possible venue.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce Iran consents, negotiations are expected to take place there,\u201d the Pakistani official said stressing that Iran\u2019s go ahead was the only remaining element before the talks get underway. He claimed that US had even indicated that Vice President J.D. Vance could lead its delegation.<\/p>\n Yet, he feared, developments inside Iran were complicating decision making there. He said key decisions were now being shaped by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with authority further diffused after strikes in which senior political and military figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were martyred. This fragmentation, he suggested, was making it harder for Tehran to take a clear negotiating position.<\/p>\n<\/a>Iranian position<\/h3>\n