Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Expresses Readiness for Peace Talks with India During Tehran Visit

By A Staff Reporter

During his visit to Tehran on the second leg of a four-nation tour, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed a willingness to engage in peace talks with India to address longstanding bilateral issues such as Kashmir, terrorism, water sharing, and trade.

Sharif’s statement follows weeks after India and Pakistan agreed to cease cross-border firing, which escalated after the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor. Speaking at a joint press conference with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif said, “We want to resolve all disputes, including the Kashmir issue and the water issue, through negotiations and are also ready to talk to our neighbour on trade and counter-terrorism.”

The offer for talks comes amid heightened tensions after India’s precision strikes against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in early May. However, India has maintained that any dialogue with Pakistan must be strictly limited to the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized that “terror and talks cannot happen at the same time” and stressed that discussions must remain a bilateral affair, without third-party involvement—responding indirectly to offers of mediation by external actors like former US President Donald Trump.

Sharif also warned that Pakistan remains prepared to defend itself if India chooses aggression, stating, “But if they accept my offer of peace, then we will show that we really want peace, seriously and sincerely.”

The backdrop to these developments includes India’s Operation Sindoor on May 7, which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and POK following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. The military exchanges escalated until Pakistan sought a ceasefire on May 10, leading to mutual military-level talks and the current pause in hostilities.