Regional mediators scramble to prevent US.-Iran deal from collapsing

Source: msn/Axios

12h


Qatar, Pakistan and other regional mediators are trying to de-escalate tensions between the U.S. and Iran and revive negotiations on a nuclear deal, according to two sources from the mediating countries and a U.S. official.

Why it matters: While President Trump announced on Wednesday that the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the ceasefire were "over" and ordered two rounds of airstrikes, he is focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and still wants to avoid a return to an all-out war with Iran.

The mediators think that, regardless of the recent escalation, the parties made progress toward a nuclear deal in earlier rounds of talks and want to prevent the MOU from collapsing.

A regional source from one of the mediating countries said the mediators believe the recent Iranian attacks in Hormuz were initiated by elements inside the Iranian regime that oppose the MOU and want to undermine it.

Behind the scenes: Qatari, Pakistani, Turkish, Egyptian and Saudi officials have conducted multiple phone calls on Wednesday with both U.S. and Iranian officials in an effort to calm down the situation, the sources said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Pakistani military commander Field Marshal Asim Munir that the U.S. attacks and rhetoric were violations of the MOU, according to a statement on his Telegram channel.

"There are extensive diplomatic efforts to first agree with both sides on de-escalation and then set a date for another round of negotiations between the technical teams," one regional source involved in the mediation said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/regional-mediators-scramble-to-prevent-us-iran-deal-from-collapsing/ar-AA27B4Od