Israel rejects Pakistan as mediator, outlines hardline terms on Iran talks

Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has dismissed Pakistan as an unreliable intermediary in the ongoing diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran, underscoring that Tel Aviv does not view Islamabad as a “credible player” in the process.

In an interview with ANI, Azar said Israel remains aligned with the United States but is wary of the actors Washington chooses to engage. “We don’t see Pakistan as a credible player. The United States has decided to use Pakistan’s facilitation for its own reasons,” he said, pointing to past instances where Washington worked with countries like Qatar and Turkey to advance negotiations with Hamas.

He emphasized that Israel’s priority is to remain in sync with the US on the substance and desired outcome of any agreement with Iran.

Addressing the possibility of expanding the ceasefire framework to include Gaza and Lebanon, Azar drew a clear distinction between the conflicts. “They are treated separately. There is already an internationally agreed framework on Gaza, and Hamas has to disarm. It has nothing to do with the operation in Iran,” he said.

On Lebanon, Azar reiterated Israel’s security objective, stating that southern Lebanon must be cleared of Hezbollah’s militant infrastructure, placing responsibility on the Lebanese government to ensure this outcome.

His remarks come in contrast to claims by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who earlier suggested that Lebanon was part of a broader two-week peace agreement. However, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanese cities continued at the time of reporting, indicating no immediate de-escalation on that front.

Azar further outlined the contours of a proposed 15-point framework for Iran, signaling a stringent approach to negotiations. The conditions include a complete ban on military nuclear capabilities within Iran, restrictions on its ballistic missile programme, and an end to the proliferation of terrorism across the region.