Only they can play that role: Shashi Tharoor's swipe at Pak hosting US-Iran talks

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday took a direct swipe at Pakistan amid high-stakes US-Iran peace talks being hosted in Islamabad, suggesting that Islamabad’s diplomatic role reflects its unique relationship with Washington and vested regional interests. "Only Pakistan can play the kind of role it has played with the US," Tharoor said in a satiric tone.

Referring to a now-viral social media post by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed to US President Donald Trump recently, Tharoor questioned the authenticity and origin of the message.

He implied that the wording and structure of the post indicated possible involvement from Washington, remarking that such coordination highlights the kind of diplomatic role only Pakistan appears able to play with the US.

"There have been some allegations that Washington wrote that tweet for the Pakistani PM, because it had the heading, 'Draft for Pakistan PM'. And the language used was also Washington's language. Also, some of the phrases were similar to those used by Trump a few hours ago. Only Pakistan can play the kind of role it has played with Washington," he said while speaking to the media.

Solidifying Tharoor's claim was a New York Times report earlier this week, according to which Sharif’s public appeal to Trump seeking a deadline extension on Iran and urging a diplomatic pause was not an impromptu move, but part of a coordinated effort that had prior approval from the White House.

A source also said the White House had vetted and cleared Sharif’s statement before it was posted, suggesting that behind-the-scenes diplomatic coordination was significantly more active than publicly indicated.

Tharoor, Congress MP from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, also opined that India should not view Pakistan’s involvement in the ceasefire talks as a matter of competition.

He stressed that New Delhi’s primary concern remains peace and stability in the region, regardless of who facilitates it.

"I don't think there is any need to worry about who brings about the peace. Who brings about the peace won't matter if peace comes. If peace fails, on the other hand, then we should analyse very carefully the reasons for that failure and see if there is any way that we can contribute to a different outcome," he said.

Tharoor underlined that Pakistan’s stakes in the ongoing conflict differ significantly from India’s.

He pointed out geographical and demographic factors, including Pakistan’s long border with Iran and its sizeable Shia population, which could be directly affected by any escalation.

"Pakistan shares a 900-km-long border with Iran. Around 4 crore Shia Muslims reside in Pakistan. So, like they say in English ‘Pakistan has skin in the game’. They have a different kind of involvement and stake in these talks. If, say in coming days, Mr Trump decides to hit Iran militarily, where will the refugees head? To Pakistan. So, Pakistan has a stake in this which is very different from that of India," Tharoor clarified.

The Congress leader also maintained that any attempt by Pakistan to project itself as a peacemaker would need to be backed by credible action against terrorism.

He asserted that dismantling terror infrastructure and acting against extremist elements would be essential for Islamabad to gain genuine international trust.

THE ISLAMABAD TALKS

Meanwhile, the talks in Islamabad have drawn global attention, with senior representatives from both the US, led by Vice President JD Vance, and Iran participating, under the leadership of its Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, amid a fragile ceasefire.

The diplomatic engagement comes at a time of heightened tensions in West Asia, with recent military developments threatening to derail efforts at de-escalation.

Tharoor concluded that India must remain actively engaged in regional developments, emphasising that strategic involvement—whether visible or discreet—is crucial to safeguarding national interests and contributing to broader stability.

The talks finally got underway on Saturday after a five-hour hiatus due to deep distrust, differences of opinion and a set of preconditions between the US and Iran.

Pakistan, who spoke to the representatives of both sides before the direct face-to-face talks in order to get them across the table, said the negotiations were trilateral and that they started on a positive note.

- Ends

With agency inputs