US envoy highlights Qatar, Pakistan's role in easing US-Iran tensions

Last updated: October 30, 2026 | 02:48

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks in a panel during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, southern Turkey. File photo taken on April 17, 2026. AP

US envoy Tom Barrack has credited Qatar and Pakistan with helping bring the United States and Iran closer to renewed diplomacy, urging both sides to pause hostilities before tensions escalate further.

Speaking to CNN on Thursday, October 29, Barrack said regional allies had helped create an opening for Washington and Tehran to agree on a process for de-escalation.

“Let’s have a time out. Let’s have a time out, bring temperatures down,” he said, describing the two sides as “very close” to reaching that initial understanding.

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