ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani capital Islamabad is emerging as a key venue for the next round of technical negotiations between the United States and Iran, a media report said on Sunday. The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 aimed at restoring peace in West Asia.
This was followed by technical-level talks in Switzerland on June 21, with Pakistan and Qatar participating as mediators.Dawn newspaper, citing diplomatic sources, reported that the resumption of talks is part of ongoing efforts to keep the diplomatic process on track and resolve long-standing disputes between Washington and Tehran. A diplomatic source said, “There are two possible places for technical talks: Islamabad and the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland.”
But Islamabad is the most likely option.”Technical talks are expected to take place on July 11, although a final decision on the venue has not yet been made.Dawn newspaper also quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the negotiations will focus on the Iranian nuclear program, easing sanctions, and Iranian assets frozen abroad.The discussions are also expected to address regional security issues, including efforts to maintain stability in the Strait of Hormuz. The July 11 meeting aims to strengthen the framework established under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed two weeks ago, which gave the two sides 60 days to negotiate a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and related issues.
