Islamabad’s effort to position itself as a mediator in the West Asia crisis has faltered after Iran declined to meet any US-led delegation in Pakistan, the Wall Street Journal reports. Tehran also described a list of US demands as unacceptable, diminishing prospects for a quick resolution.
Pakistan had promoted itself diplomatically as a broker, saying it had relayed messages to both Iran and the US. But a significant trust deficit has left Iran unwilling to let Islamabad play a negotiating role. Some optimism surfaced with reports that Qatar might broker a mediation effort.
Tensions have risen following reports of a missing US airman after an aircraft was downed by Iran and the loss of a US A-10 plane. When asked by The Independent about possible US actions if the airman were harmed or captured, President Donald Trump declined to specify a response, saying, “Well, I can’t comment on it because we hope that’s not going to happen.”
Iran says its forces have carried out “Wave 93” of retaliatory strikes against US–Israel interests. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed precise strikes on Israeli military staging areas deep inside the occupied territories, naming targets in Western Galilee, Haifa, Kafr Kanna, and the Krayot region.
A senior Iranian security official told Press TV that Iran can sustain current disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz for years. The official said Iran’s heightened sensitivity around the waterway is driven by the fact that much equipment used to supply US military bases across the region has historically been shipped by sea, and that Tehran believes such logistical support should no longer be allowed.
