Lahore: Pakistan is relaying messages between Iran and the US with the aim to help de-escalate the West Asia conflict, a top government official said on Wednesday.
“We are trying to broker US-Iran peace talks and have also offered Islamabad as a venue for the purpose. But it will be possible if Iran agrees to sit at the table with America,” a top official in the Shehbaz Sharif administration said on the condition of anonymity.
“At the moment, Pakistan is relaying messages between the US and Iran. Islamabad not only handed over the 15-point proposal of the US to Iran but also Tehran’s demands to the Trump administration to ink a peace deal,” he said.
The 15-point proposal outlines strict conditions targeting Iran’s nuclear and regional policies in exchange for major sanctions relief, he added.
Under the proposal, Iran would be required to fully dismantle its nuclear programme and commit never to pursuing nuclear weapons. All enriched nuclear material would be transferred to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) within an agreed timeframe.
Key nuclear facilities, including the Natanz Nuclear Facility, Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre and Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, would be decommissioned and destroyed under the plan. The IAEA would also be granted full access to all aspects of Iran’s nuclear programme, he said, speaking about the proposal.
The proposal further calls on Iran to cease funding, directing and arming allied groups across the region, a longstanding point of contention with both Washington and Israel, he added. In a move aimed at safeguarding global energy supplies, the plan ensures that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open as a free maritime route, preventing any disruption to international shipping.
As a final decision on Iran’s missile programme has been deferred, the proposal says any future arrangement would impose limits on the range and number of missiles, restricting their use to defensive purposes only. In return, the United States is prepared to lift all sanctions on Iran and support the development of a civilian nuclear programme, including assistance at the Bushehr facility, the official informed.
The proposal also includes removing the so-called “snapback” mechanism, which allows for the automatic reimposition of United Nations sanctions. The Iranian regime has hardened its stance and is seeking significant concessions from the US if mediation efforts lead to serious
negotiations, he said.