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Pakistan welcomes US mediation for easing ties with India

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Khwaja Asif claims of “cleared air” in ties with US

Having gone through US pressure for “doing more” to contain terror groups on its soil for few months, Pakistan seemed to be relieved on Monday when its foreign minister Khwaja Asif assured that their security forces have dismantled terrorist network across the country and welcomed US mediation for easing its ties with India.

According to Radio Pakistan Asif was speaking at US-Pakistan Bilateral Dialogue – organised by a think tank in Islamabad. He said that Pakistan has always opted for comprehensive dialogue for a peaceful neighbourhood. Asif shared dais with US Ambassador David Hale after a while on Monday.

The theme for the US-Pakistan Bilateral Dialogue was “Convergence amid divergence: Identifying pathways to cooperation in a challenging environment”.

Clarifying US preference of India’s growing role in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s foreign Minister Khwaja Asif said, “America has assured us that New Delhi’s role in Afghanistan will be limited to economic assistance only.”

He said that it was “unfair to blame Pakistan for whatever ails Afghanistan” as Pakistan has “eliminated terrorism from its soil after great sacrifices and now there are no terrorist safe havens here”.

Asif claimed that recent interactions between Pakistan and US has “cleared the air”, and added, “We look forward to confidence building to achieve the goal of peace in the region.”

He claimed that its counter-terrorism efforts have prevented “countless” militant attacks in the US and Europe and said that Pakistan and US have a lot of work to do in fighting negative perceptions.

He assured that Pakistan was is ready to cooperate with other countries to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan. “The US should share timely intelligence and Pakistan will take action itself,” he added.

While speaking to media persons after the dialogue, Asif described the differences in Pakistan-US relations as “only misperceptions which are being put aside by continued dialogue”.

The News International, published from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, reports that US ambassador has revealed that his country had put pressure on India to improve its relations with Pakistan. At the same time he asked Pakistan to show “equal diligence” in fighting all terrorist groups operating in the country, including Haqqani network and cautioned that bilateral relations are at a “crucial juncture.”

The Ambassador discussed US policy about Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said that Trump administration’s recently announced South Asia strategy seeks a secure and stable Afghanistan and looks to Pakistan for decisive action against the terrorists operating on its soil.

The US Ambassador was quoted saying, “We ask for equal diligence in decimating all the groups operating in Pakistan which threaten the region’s stability, including the Haqqani network. We seek a sustained and irreversible effort to achieve an aspiration and commitment that was made public by Pakistani officials themselves, and end to the use of Pakistan soil for attacks on its neighbours.” 

The daily further says that US and Afghan officials have alleged that Taliban and its Haqqani allies are directing the insurgency in Afghanistan from sanctuaries on Pakistani soil. The allegations have been at the centre of Islamabad’s tension with Kabul and Washington.

The US ambassador indicated favouring negotiated settlement with Taliban. He reiterated that US are committed to denying the Taliban a military victory in Afghanistan and urged Pakistan to assist in advancing “negotiated settlement” to the conflict.

“Pakistani leaders have made clear that they share our goals for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. It is now time to join in our efforts and create a context in which terrorist groups can no longer launch cross-border attacks and see no alternative to negotiations,” said the ambassador.

India and Pakistan held no bilateral formal talks since December 2015 despite agreeing to launch Comprehensive Dialogue due to string of terror attacks on military facilities. India blamed Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) for the attacks on Indian Air Force base in Pathankot and its army personnel in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

In April this year, Gopal Baglay, the spokesperson of external affairs ministry had indicated that India’s stand that “disputes with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally and without third party mediation” remains unchanged.

He was responding to US envoy to UN Nikki Haley’s comments that her country would try and “find its place” in efforts to de-escalate strains between India and Pakistan.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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