Tazeen Akhtar | Islamabad
Dialogue in Diplomacy , in routine peaceful times , is a continued process and expecting results in one or two sittings is a naive approach. Talks between two states at war are a more challenging arrangement that itself should be considered as success even if no result comes out in a few sessions.
Here we are dealing with the most complicated negotiations that are in between the US and Iran, involving Arab states and Israel indirectly making it extraordinarily difficult, near to impossible that have been made possible and now the forum is available for the sides to continue engemements and reach consensus. But, yes ! It needs equality,sincerity and clarity at both sides that are lacking here badly.
Pakistan has done a good job in Islamabad Talks as facilitator. So lets not call it failure but consider it a deadlock only and expect more engagements till the ceasefire reaches its limit 22 April. The US will have to keep control on her moves in the Gulf and stop her ally Israel from more violations of the ceasefire.
Islamabad Talks were the first direct talks between the US and Iran since 1979 and therefore appeared to be the highly anticipated US-Iran talks but collapsed after 21 hours of marathon discussions. It was a historical opportunity for sides to sort out the conflicting points but certainly it was not possible for both sides.
Vice President JD Vance, unfortunately, used wrong words of Bad News sharing the details with the foreign media and moreover he said, Bad News for Iranians. 1- He should not have said Bad News 2- For Iranians. He disappointed millions of people and also made it a threat for the second party. It does not happen in diplomacy when the sides do not opt for threats , warnings and disappointments.
Young VP Vance was negotiating with a mature Iranian team in an immature way. Despite sharing the basis points of the talks in advance, he was again and again taking directions from the President. He was supposed to take advice from the boss once before he left for Pakistan.
He was not the “Ambassador Plenipotentiary” (who can take decisions on his own) , even, of his country to decide anything on his own despite the son in law of his president was also sitting beside him on the table. He called President Trump more than one dozen( some sources say Dozens) times to brief him and sought direction from the boss sitting in White House.
FM Iran Mr. Araghchi shared that Vance spoke with Netanyahu at least once during the Islamabad talks. “The US needs a negotiator who can reach an agreement on the spot, not someone who keeps a phone in hand and, like a child, has to check everything with daddy or uncle, ” Araghchi added.
President Trump had issued some irresponsible statements in the days near to the Islamabad Talks that added to already prevailing distrust at the Iranian side. He portrayed himself as a President who is proud, unpredictable, threatening the political leaders of the dissent states and warning to eliminate the civilizations of the disobedient countries.
Netanyahu, friend and ally of Trump in this unnecessary war /invasion ,violated the ceasefire in Lebanon. He is a known spoiler of dialogue. Both most often bypass the UN, its charter, International Laws whatsoever.
To me, it was quite clear that no breakthrough will be available in this practice and I had reasons for that ;
1- History of US Iran in general and Trump 1-2 Iran in particular (Trump 1 unilaterally exited from the agreement of EU-US+ Iran on the same Nuclear matter about which Vance said the talks failed on )
2- The level of hostilities between the rivals
3- Till the last moment, the talks were not confirm and the table was set in urgent manner
4- Iran had earlier rejected the names of Jared Kushner , Trump’s Son in Law, a Jew and Steve Witkoff, again Jewish Lobbyist.
5- Lack of Trust @ Iran side and Absence of Will @ US Side
6- Real party not in the picture (Israel)
7- No Gaurantier (Pakistan was facilitator only and not a mediator)
8- Trump’s Temperature (constantly rising on Iran and Hormuz)
9- Expectations of Iranian public (at least an apology for killing children, spiritual leader and citizens + Reparations for Damages | not reconciliation only)
10 – Talks were already taking place in Oman’s mediation and two three days were left to announce some agreement when US Israel abruptly unexpectedly invaded Iran
Now there are 2 possibilities ;
1- Islamabad Talks process is given another chance by either side or through more efforts by the facilitator and the sides reach at some agreement for lasting peace.
2- The US uses this process to satisfy the world that ” We tried but Iran flipped the table.”
Mr. Trump has already threatened to destroy Iranian Civilization. It means the deadliest bombs will be dropped on Iran. God forbid it is Nuclear. Anyhow , when it happens, the US will have an excuse that we tried but Iran spoiled the talks.
As mentioned above, Vance said only one point where the talks stalled. Nuclear. Iran’s nuclear weapon, even if Iran makes it, will be a threat for the US? No, it is for Israel only.
Here one can easily conclude that US participation in Islamabad Talks was not for US but for Israel and Israel can’t help without destroying the nuclear capability of Iran because Iran’s nuclear weapons mean Israel’s elimination from the map of the world.
Nuclear is a matter of International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA and not of US and Israel , especially when both themselves possess the weapon of mass destruction. IAEA team examined the Iranian nuclear facilities during Trump 1 and found no sign of nuclear grade proliferation of uranium there.
We are talking about good, good things only as , it is not an event, it is a continued process, another engagement is possible that can provide another opportunity for peace building etc but what is the other side sharing in their media outlets? Read here ;
The CIA and the Mossad knew, from the very first second, that the two sides were in absolute contradiction. Not 10%, not 50%. 180 degrees. So why did Trump send JD Vance right into the middle of it?
Two reasons.
First: when the bomb drops, no one will be able to say the U.S. didn’t try. They’ll have in hand the minutes of the meeting, the photo of the handshake that didn’t happen, the return flight with empty hands. Diplomacy as legal cover for what comes next.
Second, and smarter: Vance is against war. Well-known. So when a man like him comes back from Oman and says “there’s no conversation to be had,” no one in Washington can argue anymore that “all it took was sitting down at the table.” The toughest skeptic in the cabinet has become an eyewitness to the impossibility.
Iran’s FM Araghchi has shared in his tweet, when we were just inches away from MoU , we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts and blockade. Goodwill begets goodwill and Envity begets enmity.
This is the situation and one can easily reach the conclusion on what are the prospects for further talks or communication. Or more, we need to be prepared to see a big bang soon in our neighborhood.
Now it depends upon the people of US and Israel to make their corrupt leaders refrain from throwing the world into third world war by the big brothers of fatman and little boy. They have been abandoned by their all time European allies. Even Canada is not ready to stand with the US. Iran is not Venezuela. Continuation of invasions of Iran will not only destroy Iran but damage the invaders as well.
One invader is the culprit in Epstein Files and the other is facing corruption cases in his country. Both are perfect models of using Jingoism to cover their failures and wrong doings. We have such a model in our neighborhood India. Narendra Modi has nothing to say in his Bhashans other than threatening Pakistan always. This strategy of befooling the public is outdated.
