Iran signals willingness to resume US dialogue in Tehran talks

Iran on Monday indicated its willingness to return to dialogue with the United States to de-escalate tensions, according to Dawn and Minute Mirror. The signal came during a meeting between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran, where Naqvi is leading Pakistan's effort to revive the stalled diplomatic process between Washington and Tehran.

Naqvi also met his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni. A Pakistani source described the meetings as showing progress, and Naqvi said the discussions focused on the mediation process. Momeni thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief General Asim Munir for Pakistan's role in promoting regional peace and stability, Minute Mirror reported. Pezeshkian separately stressed the importance of stronger ties with Pakistan, Radio Pakistan said.

Iran has conveyed a set of conditions for resuming negotiations through Qatari mediators, according to Minute Mirror. The conditions include an end to fighting on all fronts, the release of Iranian assets frozen by the United States, and the lifting of what Tehran describes as a US naval blockade. Iranian officials have said seven conditions were transmitted, though not all have been made public.

The diplomatic push follows the collapse of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, reached in June with Pakistan's mediation. Implementation of the memorandum stalled, and Iran has called on Washington to honour the framework and return to the negotiating table. Pakistan's Foreign Office has said Islamabad remains engaged in efforts to bring the sides back together and continues to support the MoU as a framework for a negotiated settlement.

The standoff remains linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies. Tehran has tied the reopening of the waterway to the fulfilment of its conditions, while the wider conflict has disrupted energy flows and heightened regional tensions.

Separately, Dawn reported that the United States has refused visas to some members of President Pezeshkian's delegation, and that a second Qatari LNG cargo ship has been cleared by Iranian authorities and is expected to arrive on Tuesday.