PAKISTAN is in the diplomatic spotlight for its efforts to mediate in the US-Iran war. While this role could be beneficial in resolving the conflict, it also presents significant risks. Mediation between the aggressor and aggrieved has its inherent pitfalls. The task becomes more challenging when one party possesses far greater power and resou­r­ces. In such cases, the weaker party may feel pressu­­­red to accept terms that are not in their best interest.

This imbalance is particularly evident in the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran, which Pakistan is tasked with mediating. So far, Pakistan has acted primarily as a messenger, passing memos between the two parties. However, it appears to have made little progress in bringing them to the negotiating table, despite US President Donald Trump’s claims of making substantial headway in the discussions, which Iran has denied, asserting that no talks have taken place. The gap between America’s 15 points and Iran’s five points is too wide to bridge.

Tehran has rejected US conditions as “excessive and unacceptable”, viewing them as a virtual document of surrender. Iran believes it holds an advantageous position despite the significant destruction caused by the US and Israel. Furthermore, Iran cannot trust the US administration, which has launched attacks against it twice during negotiations over the past year. The US, in coordination with Israel, initiated the war on Iran while both sides were reportedly close to reaching a deal on the nuclear issue.

So far, Pakistan has successfully maintained a delicate balancing act in what may be the most........

© Dawn