Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States said on Wednesday that Islamabad has played a constructive diplomatic role which led to the essential US-Iran ceasefire. He described it as a success of engagement and dialogue.
The ambassador was giving an interview with Becky Anderson on CNN. In the interview he said that diplomatic efforts of Pakistan had been underway for weeks and had finally culminated in the announcement of a successful ceasefire and the start of the negotiations.
He said, “This is a victory of diplomacy and dialogue.”
He further added that positive diplomacy has always been prioritised by Pakistan throughout its history. He also expressed gratitude to all the parties who are placing their trust in Pakistan.
He said, “We are grateful to all sides for their confidence in Pakistan.”
The role of global and regional partners was also acknowledged by the envoy. He said that their collective efforts helped secure the path for talks and a ceasefire.
He said, “We are thankful to Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, China and others whose joint efforts made the ceasefire possible and paved the way for dialogue.”
He also highlighted the role of Beijing and said that “China, from day one, urged all sides to exercise restraint and pursue diplomacy.”
He also said that the top leadership of the country was directly involved in the diplomatic push.
He also said that not a lot of information can be revealed, emphasising that confidentiality is the key.
He said that, “The success of the negotiation process requires discretion. Without pressure, the chances of a decisive outcome are higher.”
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