Reuters: Ceasing Iran’s attacks is a precondition for restarting negotiations

🔸 Reuters, citing a Pakistani official, wrote that “stopping attacks” on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries is a “precondition” for any resumption of talks between Iran and the United States.

🔸 Three Pakistani sources, whose names were not mentioned, told this news agency that Islamabad is looking for a way to restart the stalled dialogue between the United States and Iran, with the aim of ending a war that has been going on for nearly five months since it began.

🔸 All three sources emphasized that the obstacles to any talks with the United States remain “very serious.”

🔸 In June, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to pave the way for ending the war, after mediation by Pakistan and Qatar. The agreement was meant to provide a 60-day opportunity for negotiations over a permanent deal.

🔸 But the indirect talks made no progress. Both sides accused each other of violating commitments, and fighting resumed.

🔸 According to these Pakistani sources, preliminary consultations took place during the visit this week of Esmail Khatib Peymani, Iran’s interior minister, to Islamabad; it was his second trip to Pakistan in less than 10 days.

🔸 These efforts are taking place as the Yemeni Houthis, also described as one of the Islamic Republic’s proxy forces, on Thursday announced that, as part of their maritime blockade, they had targeted two Saudi oil tankers; an action that increases the risk of creating a second chokepoint for global oil supply, alongside the near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.