Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Questions Pakistan's Mediation Role in Iran-US Talks
Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor on Saturday delivered a pointed critique of Islamabad's position as a mediator in discussions between Iran and the United States. He highlighted allegations suggesting that a social media post from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was actually authored by Washington.
Tharoor's Remarks on Pakistan-Washington Relationship
While speaking to reporters, Tharoor elaborated on the nature of the relationship between Pakistan and the United States. "Do you know what kind of relationship Pakistan has with Washington... There have been some allegations that Washington wrote that tweet for the Pakistani PM, because it had the heading, 'Draft for Pakistan PM,'" he stated.
Tharoor further questioned the authenticity of the communication, adding, "If you and I wrote something for the Indian Prime Minister, would we write 'Draft for India's PM' above it? And the language used was also Washington's language. Also, some of the phrases were similar to those used by Donald Trump a few hours ago. Only Pakistan can play the kind of role it has played with Washington."
Background of the Controversial Social Media Post
This commentary comes days after Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif briefly published a message labeled as a "draft" concerning the Iran conflict on his official X account. The post was quickly edited, but not before it garnered significant attention.
The original message called for a two-week ceasefire and a diplomatic pause. It emerged precisely as the United States and Iran were moving toward a temporary truce. In both versions of the post, Sharif urged former US President Donald Trump to extend his deadline for military action by two weeks to facilitate ongoing talks.
He also appealed to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same duration, describing this as a goodwill gesture. "We also urge all warring parties to observe a ceasefire everywhere for two weeks," the post read, framing the pause as essential for "long-term peace and stability in the region."
Diplomatic Breakthrough and Ceasefire Agreement
Within hours of the post, Washington and Tehran confirmed they had agreed to a two-week ceasefire, stepping back from the brink of a major military escalation. This breakthrough followed a dramatic shift by Trump, who had earlier threatened extensive strikes on Iranian infrastructure if Tehran failed to meet his demands.
Instead, he paused planned attacks shortly before his own deadline, citing conversations with Sharif and Pakistan's military leadership as influential. "A two-week period will allow the agreement to be finalised," Trump remarked, expressing cautious optimism about the diplomatic process.
Current Peace Talks in Islamabad
Meanwhile, delegations from the United States and Iran arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Saturday to engage in peace talks addressing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf and comprising 71 members, including the country's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, landed in the Pakistani capital early in the day.
Conversely, the American delegation, including US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, arrived at noon. The US group is being led by Vice President JD Vance, underscoring the high-level nature of these negotiations.
The developments highlight Pakistan's active role in international diplomacy, even as figures like Shashi Tharoor cast doubt on the independence and authenticity of its contributions to the peace process.
