Iran Denies Progress on US Peace Deal Despite Pakistani Mediation Efforts

A senior Iranian source stated on Wednesday that there has been no progress in reviving an interim peace deal with the United States or defining a timeframe for its implementation. The comments follow reports from Turkey's Anadolu news agency, citing Pakistani government sources, that the two nations had agreed to extend a 60 day ceasefire period. Iran dismissed these reports, asserting that no such extension is possible because the United States violated and withdrew from the agreement shortly after it was reached in June. The interim deal had called for an immediate termination of military operations on all fronts, but it unraveled in July when President Donald Trump declared it over and Iran later declared it suspended.

Pakistan continues to assert its role as a mediator. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Islamabad is making all possible efforts to bring both parties back to the table under the Memorandum of Islamabad to ensure regional stability. This occurred during a meeting between Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam. Iran has indicated that while messages are being exchanged via intermediaries such as Pakistan and Qatar, Tehran will not start formal talks until Washington returns to the interim deal.

Disagreements persist over specific commitments. The United States accuses Iran of failing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran demands that Washington lift a blockade of Iranian ports and release frozen assets. Tensions have escalated with recent attacks on shipping in the region and increased rhetoric from both leaders. President Trump has demanded compensation for deaths during decades of conflict, while Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei stated the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. accepts Iran's conditions.