ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Pakistan was still awaiting a formal response from Iran on Tuesday evening over whether Tehran would send a delegation to the proposed Islamabad peace talks, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, as a fragile ceasefire moved closer to its expiry and pressure mounted on all sides to keep diplomacy alive.
The situation as it stands at 1930 PST
1. Formal response from Iranian side about confirmation of delegation to attend Islamabad Peace Talks is still awaited.
2. Pakistan as the mediator is in constant touch with Iranians and pursuing the path of diplomacy and dialogue.
3.…
— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) April 21, 2026
In an update issued at 7:30 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time, Mr Tarar said Pakistan remained in continuous contact with Iranian officials and was pressing ahead with diplomatic efforts aimed at securing Tehran’s participation in the next round of talks. He said Islamabad, acting as mediator, was continuing to pursue what he described as the path of dialogue and diplomacy despite the uncertainty hanging over the process.
The timing has become increasingly delicate. Mr Tarar said the ceasefire was due to end at 4:50 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time on April 22, making Iran’s decision on whether to attend the talks critical before the close of the two-week truce window. The implication of his remarks was clear: without movement from Tehran before that deadline, the diplomatic track could come under severe strain just as Pakistan is trying to prevent a renewed escalation.
Mr Tarar said Pakistan had made what he called sincere efforts to persuade the Iranian leadership to take part in the second round of talks, and that those efforts were still underway. His statement suggested that Islamabad sees Iranian participation not simply as desirable, but as central to preserving momentum around a process that remains precarious.
Pakistan has increasingly cast itself as the key intermediary in the current effort to sustain calm and move the parties back towards negotiation. Tuesday’s update offered a glimpse into the intensity of that effort, while also underscoring how much still depends on decisions yet to be made in Tehran.
For now, officials in Islamabad appear determined to keep the channel open. But with the ceasefire clock ticking down and no final Iranian confirmation yet in hand, the coming hours may prove decisive for whether diplomacy holds or the opening closes.
