In a major embarrassment for Pakistan, the Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, on Sunday dismissed Islamabad’s claim of facilitating talks between Iran and the United States, in order to end the war.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Ilahi said that the claims were aimed at influencing global oil prices and not genuine diplomatic efforts.
“They don’t have any role in this one. This conversation between Iran and America through Pakistan wasn’t true because they just wanted to stop the price of oil by just talking,” he said.
Ilahi further stated that the US and its allies in the war are not serious about peace negotiations. “They only wanted to use some countries; they said that we want to have a conversation, we want to have dialogue, we want to have a talk, but it’s not true,” he added.
When asked whether India could play a role in peace efforts, the Representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader said that all countries, including India, could have a role to stop the war.
Pakistan is reportedly mediating the peace talks between the US and Iran. However, the negotiations hit a dead end after Tehran reportedly refused to go to Islamabad to meet US officials.
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that US media “misrepresented” Tehran’s position on talks.
He thanked Pakistan for its role in the mediation and clarified that Iran has never refused to go to Islamabad for the peace talks. Araghchi further stated that the Islamic Republic is concerned about the terms of the US peace proposal.