Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday said “indirect communication” between Washington and Tehran is underway through Islamabad, even as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi firmly rejected any suggestion of negotiations, asserting that a ceasefire without “clear guarantees” from the United States would be “pointless”.US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on Thursday said 15-point action list that formed the framework for a peace deal given to Iran had been circulated through the Pakistani government, acting as the mediator, and if a deal happened, it would be great for the country of Iran, for the entire region and the world at large.Dar said, “There has been unnecessary speculation. In reality, US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan.”He said countries such as Turkiye and Egypt were supporting the initiative, while reiterating that “dialogue and diplomacy” remained the only way forward.However, hours before Dar’s remarks, Aragchi categorically denied any talks, underscoring Tehran’s hardline stance as the conflict nears the one-month mark. “At present, our policy is to continue resistance, and no talks have taken place,” he said in a televised interview. “There are no negotiations underway,” he reiterated.The sharp divergence highlights the opacity surrounding backchannel diplomacy, with competing narratives emerging even as multiple regional actors attempt to broker de-escalation. While acknowledging that several foreign ministers from the region had reached out, Araghchi maintained that Iran’s position remained “principled and firm”, signalling no shift despite sustained diplomatic outreach.He also cast doubt on the reliability of external assurances, stressing that any ceasefire arrangement would require credible and enforceable guarantees from Washington. “International guarantees are not 100 per cent reliable,” he said, warning that a deal without firm assurances would only perpetuate conflict.“A ceasefire without guarantees is a vicious cycle that only leads to the repetition of war,” Araghchi asserted, adding that Tehran would insist on accountability and compensation for damages suffered.