Pakistan’s diplomacy worthy of Nobel Prize: Scott Ritter

Former UN weapons inspector and ex-US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter has praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in ongoing regional tensions, saying Islamabad remains central to efforts aimed at securing a breakthrough between Iran and the United States.

Speaking during senior anchorperson Fahd Hussain’s programme ‘Full Frame’ on Express 24/7, Ritter described Pakistan as “the only game in town” capable of helping bring the crisis toward a final resolution.

“I, first of all, want to commend Pakistan for the leadership that it has played in this,” Ritter said, adding that Pakistan’s leadership deserved international recognition for its mediation efforts. “If there ever was somebody who deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, the Pakistani leadership that has played this very essential role deserves this,” he remarked.

Read: Pakistan's global role sees diplomatic shift

Ritter — who served as a UN weapons inspector in Iraq during the 1990s and frequently comments on US foreign policy and Middle East affairs — urged the international community to support Pakistan economically and politically following the conflict.

In recent months, Pakistan drew international attention for its involvement in mediation efforts between Iran and the US amid the Middle East crisis.

Last month, Pakistan brokered a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran on April 8, followed by critical talks in Islamabad attended by senior delegations from both countries on April 11 and 12.

However, neither side was able to reach an agreement to bring the war to an end.

Since then, the two warring sides have been exchanging formulas and counter-formulas to reach a middle ground to resume a second round of direct talks to end the conflict that has already disrupted global energy supplies and daily lives across the region.