# Pakistan Says It Is Working to Return the United States and Iran to Talks as Riyadh Repairs Ties With Baghdad

Brent crude settled near $82.15 a barrel, down 0.41 percent, even as a Chatham House assessment cited by Iranian state media concluded that five months of war have not produced Washington's stated objectives.

- Published: 2026-08-08T05:21:19.777Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/2026-08-08/pakistan-says-it-is-working-to-return-the-united-states-and
- Publisher: Polylog (Global desk)
- Section: geopolitics
- Sources: [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pakistan-doing-its-utmost-to-bring-us-iran-back-to-negotiating-table-foreign-office/article71286172.ece), [IRNA](https://www.irna.ir/news/86229833/%DA%A9%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B6%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%AA%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%DA%AF-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%AF), [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/8/saudi-intelligence-chief-meets-iraqi-pm-renews-riyadh-visit-invitation)

Pakistan's Foreign Office said it is "doing its utmost" to bring the United States and Iran back to negotiations. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters that "we support dialogue and diplomacy as they are the only viable path forward," [The Hindu reported](https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pakistan-doing-its-utmost-to-bring-us-iran-back-to-negotiating-table-foreign-office/article71286172.ece).

Iranian state news agency IRNA published a summary of a Chatham House analysis assessing five months of the American and Israeli campaign against Iran. In IRNA's translation, the think tank concluded that the war's principal objectives, [including regime change, forcing Tehran into political capitulation and decisively degrading Iran's strategic capabilities, have not been achieved](https://www.irna.ir/news/86229833/%DA%A9%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%B6%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B4%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%AA%D9%86-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%DA%AF-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%AF). It added that continued reliance on those assumptions carries risk. The selection and framing are those of an Iranian state outlet, and the underlying document has not been independently reviewed here.

Saudi Arabia is separately working to rebuild relations with Iraq. Al Jazeera reported that Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Baghdad and [renewed an invitation for him to visit Riyadh](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/8/saudi-intelligence-chief-meets-iraqi-pm-renews-riyadh-visit-invitation). Al-Zaidi had cancelled an earlier trip after American and Saudi strikes on Iraq on July 29 that Iraqi officials said killed civilians.

Oil markets are not currently pricing escalation. Brent crude [traded near $82.15 a barrel on Friday](https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/brent-crude-oil), down 0.41 percent on the day, and the Washington Post's market summary attributed part of the week's equity strength to falling crude prices.

## What this means

The gap between the unresolved conflict and the calm crude market defines the exposure for investors. Oil is priced for continued restraint, which means any interruption to Gulf loadings or to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would produce a large price move from a low base, and airlines, refiners and importing economies in Asia carry that exposure. Two paths lie ahead: a negotiated return to talks brokered through intermediaries such as Pakistan and Oman would keep the risk premium compressed, while a resumption of strikes on energy infrastructure would restore it within a single trading session.

## What to watch

- Whether any direct or indirect United States and Iran meeting is announced, since a scheduled round is the clearest signal that both sides want the conflict managed rather than expanded.
- Iraqi government statements about the July 29 strikes and whether al-Zaidi travels to Riyadh, which indicates how far Gulf states can insulate commercial ties from the war.
- Tanker insurance rates and loading volumes in the Gulf, because those change before headline crude prices do when operators expect trouble.