Regional mediators are stepping up diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran and revive negotiations on a nuclear agreement, according to a report by Axios.
Citing multiple sources, including officials from mediating countries and a US official, the report said Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia held a series of phone calls with both Washington and Tehran on Wednesday in an effort to prevent further escalation.
One regional source told Axios that mediators believe the recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz were carried out by factions within Iran opposed to the US-Iran memorandum of understanding and seeking to derail the agreement.
“There are extensive diplomatic efforts to first agree with both sides on de-escalation and then set a date for another round of negotiations between the technical teams,” a regional source involved in the mediation told the news outlet.
The diplomatic push comes amid renewed military exchanges between the US and Iran that have raised concerns over the future of the Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding signed last month.