A Pakistan-led initiative to facilitate US-Iran talks has been held up, with Tehran yet to formally respond to proposals for dialogue despite back-channel exchanges in recent days, a senior official has told Dawn.

The official, who was speaking on background, said some ground had been covered, with messages relayed between Washington and Tehran, but the absence of a clear Iranian signal has slowed momentum at this critical stage.

“It is surprising that despite the obliteration of significant naval, air force, and other military and civilian infrastructure, Iran has not responded positively to calls for negotiations,” the official, who is familiar with the discussions, said.

He said both Pakistan and China had urged Iran to engage, but “Tehran has so far not conveyed its readiness to take part in the dialogue.”

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