Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, April 13 

Diplomatic efforts are intensifying behind the scenes to bring the United States and Iran back to negotiations before a ceasefire expires later this month, as regional and global powers push to avert a renewed escalation of the conflict.

Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey have stepped up engagement with both Washington and Tehran, seeking to revive dialogue after weekend talks failed to produce a breakthrough.

Pakistani officials are in active contact with both sides, urging an early resumption of negotiations, according to officials familiar with the matter.

China and Russia are also involved in backchannel efforts, reflecting broad international concern over the risk of a return to full-scale hostilities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held discussions with Iran’s leadership, while Iran’s foreign minister has spoken with senior officials in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who emphasised the need for dialogue to resolve differences.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also discussed the situation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who backed continued diplomatic engagement to defuse the crisis.

The immediate goal is to secure progress before the current ceasefire, due to expire around April 22, lapses. 

Officials are working to arrange a second round of talks within the narrow timeframe.

Despite the absence of a breakthrough in the first round of direct negotiations, officials in Turkey, Oman, and Pakistan said they remained cautiously optimistic that both sides would return to the table.

The conflict, which has already caused significant casualties and disruption across the region, has heightened urgency among mediators to secure a lasting agreement and prevent a renewed outbreak of fighting.