A series of unpleasant and awkward moments reportedly unfolded at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Bürgenstock, the venue for the peace talks between Iran and the United States, with visuals emerging from the venue portraying what observers described as a diplomatic embarrassment for Pakistan.
According to Pakistani and Iranian journalists present inside the hall, tensions became visible as Iran abruptly walked out of negotiations with the United States amid growing anger over threats issued by US President Donald Trump. The sudden move reportedly disrupted the atmosphere of the summit and left mediators scrambling to keep the process on track.
Trump, while speaking to Fox News on Sunday, revealed that he had warned Iranian officials against any attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to take control of the waterway and collect tolls if Tehran made any such move. “You close it, and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your f***ng country,” he said.
Trump also said the US could become the ‘Guardian angel’ of the Strait of Hormuz and take 20 per cent of the oil exports that pass through the corridor. “We may take over the Strait, if we have to. I’ll blow the sh*t out of them. If they don’t make a deal, we’ll collect tolls.
One of the most discussed moments involved Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who reportedly refused a joint photo opportunity with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sources present at the venue claimed Araghchi made his position clear before departing, adding to the sense of discomfort surrounding Pakistan’s mediation effort.
Visuals circulating from the summit also appeared to show Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attempting to engage with members of the departing Iranian delegation as they left the venue. The scenes quickly drew attention among journalists and diplomatic observers covering the event.
Reports from inside the summit suggested that Field Marshal Asim Munir initially struggled to prevent the talks from unravelling following Iran’s decision to step away. As the situation deteriorated, Pakistani officials were seen holding urgent consultations with participating delegations.
