Newsletters
Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi urged the United States and Iran to extend the ceasefire and resume negotiations on Sunday.
He called on both sides to "make painful concessions," he said, which would be "nothing as compared to the pain of failure and war", as Russia, the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, and Australia separately called for continued dialogue following the collapse of the Islamabad Talks.
Al-Busaidi drew on a personal encounter with Vance in the hours before the war began to frame his appeal.
"When I met Vice President Vance just hours before the war began, I formed an impression that both he and the President had a genuine and strong preference to avoid the entanglements of war," he said in a social media post that also shared a message by Pope Leo.
"So I urge that the ceasefire be extended and talks continue. Success may require everyone to make painful concessions, but this is nothing as compared to the pain of failure and war," Al-Busaidi wrote.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian he was ready to help mediate efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, the Kremlin said in a readout of the call.
"Vladimir Putin emphasised his readiness to further facilitate the search for a political and diplomatic settlement to the conflict, and to mediate efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East," the Kremlin said.
European Union foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni stated that Brussels welcomed Pakistan's mediation and was committed to further engagement.
"We salute Pakistan for its mediation efforts," El Anouni said, adding that the EU would contribute to further efforts to settle in coordination with its partners.
''The EU remains convinced that diplomacy is key to resolving all outstanding issues,’' the 27-nation bloc’s foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said in a statement to The Associated Press (AP) on Sunday.
"The European Union will contribute to all diplomatic efforts, taking into consideration its full range of interests and concerns, in coordination with partners," the statement added.
British Health Minister Wes Streeting told Sky News it was "obviously disappointing that we haven't yet seen a breakthrough in negotiations and an end to this war in Iran that is a sustainable one."
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement that the "priority now must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations," calling the Islamabad outcome "disappointing."
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had already urged both sides to uphold the ceasefire and said Pakistan would continue to facilitate dialogue in the days ahead.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
3 min read
