Kathmandu. Regional tensions are likely to escalate after peace talks between the United States and Iran ended inconclusively. In such a situation, Pakistan has urged both sides to maintain the ceasefire and continue the dialogue.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, in a statement on Sunday, said the option of a peaceful solution was still open and urged both the countries to engage in dialogue with a positive spirit. He stressed the need to maintain the commitment of ceasefire not only for regional stability but also for global stability.

According to Dar, Pakistan has played an active role in creating an environment for dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States and will continue to facilitate in the coming days. He thanked both countries for accepting Pakistan’s invitation to participate in the peace talks.

He said both sides took positively the invitation extended by Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for talks in Islamabad for an immediate ceasefire. It is seen as an important initiative in regional diplomacy.

The high-level meeting, also known as the Islamabad Dialogue, witnessed an unprecedented participation from top officials of both countries. The U.S. delegation was led by Vice President J.D. Vance and the Iranian side was led by House Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghaliboff.

Dar said he mediated with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDF) and army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for about 24 hours in a “very intense and multilateral consultation”. According to him, the talks concluded on Sunday morning, but the expected agreement could not be reached.

After the talks failed, US Vice President Vance left Islamabad. The main contentions of the talks were related to Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance told reporters that while progress had been made on some issues, no formal agreement had been reached. He said the situation was particularly adverse for Iran, but acknowledged that it would also affect the United States.

The developments indicate that while diplomatic efforts are continuing, the prospects for an immediate solution are slim due to mutual mistrust and strategic differences.