Iran foreign minister takes first strike in Pakistan as ‘mediator’, to land in Delhi today

ISLAMABAD: Pahalgam’s shadow loomed over Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi’s diplomacy overdrive in Islamabad this week as he projected his country as a potential mediator in the escalating India-Pakistan conflict. The move came ahead of his scheduled visit to Delhi on Wednesday, and in the face of India’s refusal to accept third-party mediation.While the official word was that the May 5 talks were “routine”, sources said the focus of Araghchi’s meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari, PM Shehbaz Sharif and his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar was the fallout of the terrorist attack on tourists in J&K’s Pahalgam a fortnight ago.Amid Iran’s bid to positioning itself as a mediator in an attempt to avert a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours, speculation was rife in Pakistan about the impartiality, leverage and ability of any third country to untangle a conflict fuelled by decades of hostility.In Islamabad, the Iranian minister purportedly stressed the need for “fraternal dialogue” between India and Pakistan.His Delhi trip, officially as a delegate to an economic conference, could also pivot to escalating cross-border tensions, sources said.Iran styles itself as a regional conciliator, citing its proximity to Pakistan and shared cultural heritage with both countries to push for de-escalation.Some see Iran’s mediation bid as resting on shaky foundations. Its stronger ties with Pakistan, built on a shared border and joint security and trade interests, overshadow its more limited engagement with India.Delhi, long opposed to outside involvement in Kashmir disputes, has dismissed any link between Araghchi’s visit and the crisis. Critics in Pakistan see Tehran’s moves as a grab for regional relevance rather than a viable peace plan, unlikely to succeed without a proposal both sides can stomach.