Free Republic

ISLAMABAD — Tehran held firm in its claim that its foreign minister Abbas Araghchi would not meet with US negotiators for a second round of talks during his Saturday visit to Islamabad — throwing into question the future of the negotiations. Abbas and the Iranian delegation left for the airport shortly before 6 p.m. local time after holding meetings with primary Pakistani mediators Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on Friday that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would leave the US for “direct talks” with Tehran in Pakistan...

“Iranian officials left peace talks in Pakistan this afternoon without meeting the US delegation, ruling out 'maximalist demands'. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday and held a series of meetings with Pakistani officials, including the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan's Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, today. But Iran said it would 'not accept maximalist demands' as their officials left without meeting US representatives.”

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along...

Serious disagreements have arisen between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, head of the political echelon in the Islamic Republic, and Ahmad Vahidi, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), regarding the management of the war and its destructive consequences for the people and the country’s economy, opposition-linked Iran International reports. Pezeshkian has criticized the Revolutionary Guards’ approach to the conflict by escalating tensions, continuing attacks on neighboring countries, and refusing to negotiate with the U.S., warning of drastic economic consequences from this approach. Iran International cited “informed sources” who said that Pezeshkian has claimed that without a ceasefire, the Iranian...