City Desk
Islamabad: Sardar Masood Khan, former Pakistani ambassador to the US, China and the UN and former AJK President, said Pakistan and Qatar must keep working together to persuade Iran and the United States to avoid renewed military confrontation and return to talks.
In a television interview, he said President Donald Trump was weighing military escalation against a diplomatic settlement. While Washington was increasing economic and strategic pressure on Iran’s maritime and land trade routes, diplomatic efforts were also gaining momentum. He said the Republican Party’s setback in the midterm elections had added pressure on the administration, making another war a difficult choice. He noted that Vice President J.D. Vance favored diplomacy and Gulf countries were urging restraint, and he recalled the five-point Pakistan-China initiative calling for an end to hostilities, negotiations, protection of civilians and infrastructure, and freedom of navigation.
He said the situation appeared to be tilting toward diplomacy, with Pakistan focused on trust-building while Qatar handled detailed arrangements between Tehran and Washington. He called any attack on Iran a grave mistake that could trigger wider retaliation.
On the Strait of Hormuz, he highlighted the Qatari proposal to reopen it to shipping, lift the naval blockade and resume nuclear talks, including IAEA inspections and supervised downblending of enriched uranium. He urged Pakistan to maintain its mediatory role and engage both US parties.
