‘Pakistan Not Suitable Intermediary For Negotiations’: Iran Questions Islamabad's Pro-US Bias

Last Updated:April 27, 2026, 07:56 IST

Ebrahim Rezaei, member of Iran’s parliament has voiced strong reservations about Pakistan’s ability to mediate the war with US wuestioning its neutrality.

As efforts to revive US-Iran negotiations remain stalled, fresh concerns have emerged in Tehran over Pakistan’s role as a mediator. Iranian officials are now openly questioning whether Islamabad can act as a neutral party at a sensitive diplomatic moment.

The criticism comes at a time when tensions remain unresolved, particularly over key issues such as the Strait of Hormuz blockade and nuclear policy disagreements.

Lawmaker raises doubts over Pakistan’s neutrality

Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of Iran’s parliament representing Dashtestan and spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, has voiced strong reservations about Pakistan’s ability to mediate.

He acknowledged the relationship between the two countries but made it clear that this did not translate into suitability for diplomacy.

“Pakistan is a good friend and neighbour of ours, but it is not a suitable intermediary for negotiations and lacks the necessary credibility for mediation," Rezaei said.

He argued that Pakistan tends to align with the United States and does not challenge Washington’s positions. According to him, this raises doubts about whether Islamabad can act impartially during negotiations.

Pakistan biased towards US interests

Rezaei further stated that Pakistan often takes into account the interests of US President Donald Trump and avoids contradicting American positions. He pointed to specific examples, claiming that Pakistan has not spoken out on issues where the United States allegedly failed to honour commitments.

“For example, they are unwilling to tell the world that America first accepted Pakistan’s proposal but then went back on its word," he said.

He also referred to unresolved matters linked to Lebanon and blocked assets, suggesting that the US had made commitments which were not fulfilled.

Rezaei stressed that a mediator must remain neutral and should not appear to favour one side over the other.

“A mediator must be impartial, not always leaning to one side," he added.

Islamabad talks end without breakthrough

Earlier this month, Pakistan hosted talks in Islamabad involving senior representatives from Iran and the United States. The meeting was attended by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Vice President JD Vance.

However, the discussions did not lead to any agreement. The talks broke down over disagreements related to the US stance on the Hormuz blockade and issues surrounding nuclear weapons.

The failure of these discussions has added to the scepticism within Iran about the effectiveness of Pakistan as a host and mediator.

Iran-Pakistan ties strained?

Concerns have also been raised by other Iranian lawmakers who were directly involved in the negotiations.

Mahmoud Nabavian, an Iranian MP who was part of the delegation that met US officials in Islamabad, described the decision to hold talks in Pakistan as a “tactical error".

Speaking to SNNTV, Nabavian argued that it was a mistake to allow nuclear-related discussions to take place in a forum hosted by Pakistan.

He maintained that such sensitive matters should be handled separately and not mixed with broader regional mediation efforts.

Nabavian also warned that holding the talks in Islamabad created an opportunity for the United States to push for major concessions. These included demands related to limiting Iran’s production of enriched uranium, which some lawmakers in Tehran consider unacceptable.

His remarks reflect a wider concern among Iranian officials that the structure and setting of the talks may have placed Iran at a disadvantage. There is increasing unease among Iranian lawmakers about the way the negotiations were conducted and the role of the host country.

Some believe that Pakistan was not able to properly manage the direction and scope of the discussions. This has led to calls for future negotiations to take place in venues considered more neutral.

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