Signals of US-Iran Peace Talks? Multiple Middle Eastern Countries Active, Pakistan Mediates Ceasefire, Iran Claims Receiving US Message

As the US-Iran conflict escalates its threat to global energy supply chains, numerous countries in and around the Middle East are engaged in intensive shuttle diplomacy, aiming to push Washington and Tehran toward a ceasefire and substantive negotiations. Initial signs of de-escalation are emerging. According to Xinhua News Agency, citing Iran's Tasnim News Agency on the 24th, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry by phone, exchanging views on the latest developments of US and Israeli attacks on Iran and their regional and international implications. Amir-Abdollahian elaborated on the Iranian government's latest stance and introduced the self-defense actions taken by the Iranian armed forces. Shoukry briefed on Egypt's latest consultations with relevant regional and international parties to ease regional tensions. Both sides emphasized their continued communication and consultation on the regional situation. According to Xinhua News Agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian media reported on the 23rd that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a phone call, emphasizing the urgent need to de-escalate the situation in the Persian Gulf and engage in diplomatic mediation. CCTV News also reported that on March 24, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that Pakistan is ready to provide a venue for negotiations between Iran and the US if both parties are willing. Although Iranian officials currently deny any ongoing negotiations, according to Reference News citing CBS News, after US President Donald Trump hinted at a possible agreement, a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official stated on the 23rd that Iran had received a message from the US through mediators. This could be a precursor to negotiations between the two warring nations. The Iranian official said, "We learned of the US perspective through mediators and are reviewing it." Furthermore, the Trump administration is covertly considering Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, as a potential partner, and even as a future leader of Iran. The report states that at least some within the White House view Ghalibaf as a viable partner who could lead Iran in the next phase of the war and negotiate with the Trump administration. Pakistan's Multifaceted Mediation Efforts, Mediating Countries Seek Meeting, Trump's Envoy Potentially Attending As the conflict escalates, global energy supply chains are under immense pressure. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway carrying approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport, has been effectively closed since the outbreak of the conflict. This not only directly threatens global energy supply but has also triggered a severe energy crisis in South Asia, leading to a widespread natural gas shortage. For Pakistan, which relies on imports from Gulf countries for almost all its crude oil, refined oil products, and LNG, a swift cessation of hostilities is of urgent practical importance for maintaining its domestic economic operations. To facilitate a ceasefire, Pakistan is fully leveraging its close ties with Trump and its long-standing relationships with key players like neighboring Iran and Saudi Arabia. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi by phone on Monday, calling for a de-escalation of the conflict. Sharif posted on social media platforms stating that he had briefed the Iranian leadership on Pakistan's high-level diplomatic efforts and pledged Pakistan's continued constructive role in promoting regional peace. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, has not yet commented on the current mediation progress. Last week, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended a joint meeting of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers in Riyadh. According to media reports citing informed sources, after Iran carried out retaliatory airstrikes against countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Pakistan strongly urged during the meeting that the wording of the joint statement would not exacerbate tensions between Iran and its Gulf neighbors. According to Axios, citing an unidentified Israeli official, relevant mediating countries are seeking to hold a meeting in Islamabad, with potential attendees including Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Ivanka Trump's husband Jared Kushner, and even US Vice President JD Vance. Covert Middle East Diplomacy: Egypt's Intelligence Services' "Riyadh Moment" According to Wallstreetcn previously, the sudden shift in US policy towards Iran was not a unilateral decision but the result of "multiple rounds of closed-door diplomatic consultations." The report states that early last Thursday, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan held an emergency meeting in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, to discuss finding a "diplomatic exit path" for the Iranian conflict. However, an Arab official involved in the talks frankly stated, "The biggest problem is finding someone on the Iranian side to talk to." Previously, Israel had assassinated high-ranking figures in Iran's national security apparatus, including Iran's National Security Advisor Ali Larijani, reducing the number of potential negotiation targets. Against this backdrop, Egypt's intelligence system has become a key variable. Multiple officials revealed that Egypt has "successfully established communication channels with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran." The report states that as the most powerful political and military entity within Iran, the "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps" holds substantial "blockade power" over the Strait of Hormuz. Egypt proposed a core initiative – a "five-day suspension of hostilities" – aimed at building initial trust for a ceasefire agreement. This incremental information was quickly relayed to Florida through intermediaries. Upon learning of this potential channel, Trump showed strong transactional interest. According to a senior administration official, Trump viewed this as an opportunity to "package the war as a victory and exit." As diplomatic messages from Riyadh reached the White House, Trump rapidly changed his stance, announcing a "five-day pause in strikes" and expressed willingness to pursue a diplomatic solution. However, White House Press Assistant Caroline Levitt stated: "These are sensitive discussions, and the United States does not negotiate through the media. The situation is constantly evolving, and speculation about meetings should not be considered conclusive until officially announced by the White House." Iranian Supreme Leader's Advisor Reaffirms Conditions for Ending the War Amidst mediation efforts from all sides, Iran has reiterated its conditions for ending the war. According to CCTV International News, Mohsen Rezaei, the newly appointed military advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, emphasized in an interview broadcast on Iranian state television on March 23rd that Iran will not cease hostilities until it receives full reparations, all economic sanctions are lifted, and international legal guarantees are provided that the US will not interfere in Iran's internal affairs. Rezaei also stressed that the dispute between Iran and the US is not just about the current conflict or the attacks by the US and Israel on Iran last June, but has been ongoing for 47 years since the victory of the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, and must be "brought to an end."