ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Former Pakistani ambassador to the US and former president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan has termed the US-Iran crisis as very dangerous and warned that military pressure and economic measures from both sides have turned the region into a powder keg where even a minor incident can lead to a major conflict.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Sardar Masood Khan, speaking on a TV programme, said the current conflict is ongoing simultaneously on military, economic and diplomatic fronts, due to which mediation efforts have become very complex and sensitive.
He said although there is an unstable ceasefire, the situation remains unstable due to naval tension and blockades in the Strait of Hormuz.
As a result, global trade routes are being affected and the risk of any unintended conflict is increasing, he added.
He said Iran has put forward several proposals, including lifting sanctions and naval blockade, withdrawal of foreign forces and guarantees of non-aggression.
In contrast, he said, the US is demanding sanctions on Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes and restrictions on its regional allies. According to him, the rigid positions of both sides are hindering immediate progress.
Sardar Masood stressed that for meaningful progress, confidence-building measures are indispensable, especially the simultaneous easing or lifting of blockades by both sides.
He said that serious negotiations on important issues would not be possible without restoring trust at the basic level.
He said contacts between Washington and Tehran have now taken the form of indirect or proxy talks in which Pakistan is playing an active role and exchanging messages and proposals between the two sides.
Pakistan’s role in US-Iran mediation
He rejected the impression that Pakistan’s role was diminishing and clarified that diplomatic channels were fully functional.
Referring to Pakistan’s diplomatic activities, he said continuous communication is ongoing with China, Gulf countries and other important global partners.
These efforts are continuous, balanced and determined, including direct contacts at the highest level and shuttle diplomacy, he remarked.
Sardar Masood said Pakistan’s mediation efforts are effective and active, however, the final outcome depends on the decisions of the political leadership of the United States and Iran.
According to him, realism, tolerance and a mutually acceptable path are indispensable for a sustainable solution to the crisis, while diplomacy is the only effective means to de-escalate tensions.
