Iran has rejected Pakistan’s offer to host possible talks between Washington and Tehran, signalling that Islamabad is unlikely to play a formal mediating role in efforts to end the ongoing war. Pakistan had
publicly offered to facilitate negotiations, but Tehran said any such suggestion was premature and not something it had endorsed.
The sharp response came after reports that Pakistan was positioning itself as a potential venue for US-Iran talks, with Islamabad highlighting its ties to both Tehran and Gulf states. But Iran’s response made clear it was not willing to publicly validate that role. According to a post by Iran’s Mumbai consulate, the Iranian side said in effect that “Pakistan’s forums are their own,” distancing itself from the idea that talks would be held there.
#Iran FM Spox: No direct US talks; only excessive, unreasonable demands via intermediaries.#US “diplomacy” flips constantly; our stance is clear.
Pakistan’s forums are their own; we didn’t participate.
Regional calls to end war are welcome, but remember who started it!#War pic.twitter.com/o9NDkZAAqN
— Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) March 30, 2026
The rejection is significant because Pakistan has recently been trying to present itself as a diplomatic bridge in the widening West Asia conflict, especially as countries in the region and beyond search for ways to de-escalate the war. Reuters reported that Islamabad had expressed readiness to host peace talks aimed at ending the conflict, though neither Washington nor Tehran had formally confirmed participation.
Iran Still Reviewing US Proposal
Even as it brushed aside Pakistan’s mediation offer, Iran indicated it is still studying a broader US proposal related to ending the war.
Reuters reported earlier this week that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was reviewing a US proposal, but stressed that Iran had no intention of entering talks immediately unless its conditions were met.
That suggests Iran is not rejecting diplomacy altogether but it is trying to control the venue, timing, and political optics of any negotiations.
Pakistan’s Balancing Act
For Pakistan, the episode is awkward.
Islamabad has attempted to position itself as a neutral facilitator while also managing domestic sensitivities and regional alignments. It maintains relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, making it one of the few countries with lines into all sides of the conflict. But Tehran’s public pushback shows that those ties do not automatically translate into diplomatic leverage.
With the war continuing and direct trust between Washington and Tehran still low, the search for a credible mediation channel remains open — but for now, Pakistan does not appear to have Iran’s buy-in.
