US, Iran genuinely want peace in the region: PM Shehbaz

Wire excerpt

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while speaking to the press in Burgenstock, where US, Iranian, Qatari and Pakistani delegations gathered for peace talks on Sunday, praised the Iranian delegation’s dignity and attempts at de-escalation. “I think they genuinely mean to promote peace in the region,” PM Shehbaz said of the Iranian leadership, adding, “So does President Trump.” “I have no second thoughts about the fact that he is a man of peace — He has demonstrated that during the war between Pakistan and India,” he said. The premier was optimistic about the “renewed friendship” with the US, and hoped it would grow into a relationship of close coordination and cooperation between the two countries. First round of talks Closed-door quadripartite negotations between the US and Iran kicked off earlier today, with Qatar and Pakistan participating in a mediatory role. As the talks began, US President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social had threatened Iran over unrest in Lebanon, one of the key issues on the table during today’s talks. “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did las…