Pakistan held talks in its capital city of Islamabad on Sunday to “de-escalate” the Iran war, but none of the actual participants in the war attended the meeting.
Instead, the talks were held between the foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.
The two-day meeting, hosted by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, was intended to come up with ways to “de-escalate tension and encourage a negotiating process between Iran and the United States to spare the region comprehensive chaos.”
Dar said on Sunday that Pakistan still hopes to provide a venue for “meaningful talks” between the U.S., Iran, and Israel “in the coming days.” The U.S. State Department and White House did not respond to questions from Reuters about whether Pakistan had issued invitations for such a discussion.
President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration is negotiating with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, who he said was part of “a new, and more reasonable, regime.”
Trump said he expected to “find out in about a week” whether Ghalibaf is a suitable partner for extended negotiations.
Ghalibaf did not sound particularly reasonable on Sunday, as he accused the U.S. of insincerely talking about a ceasefire even as it plans for a ground invasion of Iran.
“Our men are waiting for the arrival of American soldiers on the ground to set them on fire and to punish their regional partners forever,” the Iranian parliamentary speaker said.
“Our strikes continue. Our missiles are active. Our determination and faith have increased. We are aware of the enemy’s weaknesses and clearly see the signs of fear and terror in the enemy’s forces,” he said.
“America is stating its wishes and announcing what it has not achieved in the war as a 15-point list and is now pursuing it through diplomacy,” he said, dismissing the rumored U.S. ceasefire plan.
“As long as Americans seek the surrender of Iran, the answer of your children to these American wishes is clear: Never will we accept humiliation,” he told the Iranian people in a televised address.
Ghalibaf claimed Iran is winning the war: “Energy markets have gone out of control. Food inflation is imminent. Symbols of American prestige, from F-35s to aircraft carriers and regional bases, have sustained massive damage. Strikes against the regime [Israel] have been effective, precise, and foundational.”
“We are in a great world war and must prepare ourselves for the difficult and winding path ahead. We are certain that we can punish America and make it regret ever wanting to attack Iran,” he said.
At an energy conference in Cairo on Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi urged President Trump to stop the war before the price of oil rises to unbearable levels.
“I tell President Trump: nobody can stop the war in our region in the Gulf but you. Please, Mr. President, please. Please help us stop the war. You are capable of doing so,” Sisi said.
“I fear that targeting energy facilities, whether production or refineries, will have very serious repercussions for the global economy and fuel prices. The price of a barrel of oil could reach more than $200, and this is not an exaggeration,” he warned.
Sisi said food and fertilizer distribution have also been disrupted by the war.
“Wealthy countries might be able to absorb this, but for middle-income and fragile economies, it could have a very, very severe impact on their stability,” he said.
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