Iran and the United States continue to exchange messages through Pakistan, a high-ranking Iranian security source told Reuters on Tuesday, but Tehran will not show flexibility as long as Washington continues to ask it to “capitulate under pressure”, reports Agerpres.
According to the source, Qatar sent Tehran's message to the US and countries in the area on Monday that if Washington attacks Iranian power plants, “the entire region and Saudi Arabia will be plunged into total darkness with Iran's retaliatory strikes.”
“If the situation gets out of control, Iran's allies will also close the Bab El-Mandeb Strait,” the source indicated.
Efforts to facilitate talks between the United States and Iran are still underway, two Pakistani sources familiar with the situation told Reuters on Tuesday, as strikes against Iran intensified and the deadline given to Tehran by US President Donald Trump before unleashing “all hell” loomed closer.
One of the sources, a senior security official, said Iran's overnight attack on industrial facilities in Saudi Arabia linked to US firms threatened to derail the talks.
Danger of expanding the conflict
If Saudi Arabia responded to the strikes, it would end the talks, the source said, adding that retaliation could also draw Pakistan, which has a security pact with Riyadh, into conflict.
The second source said that Iran is “walking on thin ice” and that the next three to four hours are crucial for the future of the dialogue.
Pakistan has been at the center of negotiations between the US and Iran in recent weeks, acting as the main intermediary for the two sides' proposals, but there is no sign of compromise.
“We are in contact with the Iranians. They have recently shown flexibility that they could join the talks, but at the same time they are taking tough positions as a precondition for any negotiations,” the Pakistani security source said.
According to her, Islamabad is trying to convince Tehran to enter negotiations without preconditions.
