Pakistan Hosts US-Iran Talks as PM Sharif Visits Key Muslim Allies

Pakistan has invited the United States and Iran to hold a second round of direct talks in Islamabad "very soon," according to diplomatic sources. The move comes as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travels to Saudi Arabia and Türkiye this week. The first round of rare discussions between US and Iranian officials was held in Oman in January. These talks focus on regional security, not on reviving the nuclear deal. Sharif's visits to Riyadh and Ankara are part of his first foreign trip since re-election. Diplomats see the timing as significant. The talks with major Muslim nations may aim to build regional support for the Islamabad dialogue. Pakistan has historically maintained ties with both Washington and Tehran. Hosting these talks positions it as a potential mediator during a period of high Middle East tensions.