(By Khalid Masood)26 April 2026 Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi departed Islamabad on the evening of 25 April 2026 without a joint statement, without a breakthrough, and without a confirmed date to return. Within hours, President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a planned mission by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to the…
(By Khalid Masood) The high-stakes peace negotiations between the United States and Iran, hosted in Islamabad with considerable diplomatic fanfare, have concluded without agreement. Vice President JD Vance’s early departure from the Pakistani capital, coupled with President Trump’s subsequent threat to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, has transformed a fragile diplomatic opening into a…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: Progress, Not Perfection The recently concluded US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad concluded not with a signed accord, but with something arguably more valuable in high-stakes diplomacy: sustained dialogue, mutual recognition of complexity, and explicit gratitude towards the host nation. In a region historically accustomed to diplomatic ruptures and escalatory rhetoric, Pakistan’s…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: The Quiet Coup In the world of geopolitics, there are two ways to make headlines.Method A: Shout loudly, move troops, and break things.Method B: Invite everyone over for tea, close the door, and whisper until everyone agrees to stop shouting. Recently, Pakistan chose Method B. While the world was busy watching…
