Dr.Sarah Alam

Writer, Researcher, Activist, Entrepreneur, Public Diplomacy Specialist,views are my own, re-tweet does not necessarily mean support.
M.A., M. Phil, Ph.D., EDD.

[Dr.Sarah Alam @mamaian02]

Perspective on current turmoil in Middle East in live show today at VOA Urdu

https://t.co/JYxj2G2Bbq

[Joe Kent @joekent16jan19]

Now that the MOU is effectively dead, as Brett explains below, we are back to attempting to find a military solution to the SOH.

The problem is that we signed the MOU because there was no military solution & we needed the SOH open.

Our best option is to just walk away.

If we walk Iran has no justification for targeting ships & we can use sanctions relief as our carrot, as opposed to risking a larger war in these ineffective tit for tat strikes.

[Ashok Swain @ashoswai]

In Tehran’s Azadi Square, amidst millions of mourners, the coffin of Ayotollah Khamenei’s 14 month old granddaughter, placed on the top of her mother’s coffin. The barbarism of Netanyahu & Trump in full display!

[Iqbal Latif @ilatif]

Dear Saif, Let me answer your question with a fact that most people in this conversation have overlooked.

Pakistan did not sit on the fence.
Pakistan placed two full squadrons and ten thousand soldiers at Prince Sultan Air Base, facing Shiraz, in clear and unambiguous support of Saudi Arabia and the GCC.

That is not a symbolic gesture. That is a physical military commitment on the ground, boots and aircraft, on the side of the Gulf against any Iranian aggression.
Pakistan took a side. Clearly. Openly. At real strategic cost.

And then, from that position of demonstrated loyalty to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan became the mediator that Iran also trusted completely.

Think carefully about what that means.
Iran knew Pakistan had ten thousand soldiers and two squadrons positioned against it. Iran knew Pakistan had a formal defence treaty with Saudi Arabia carrying an Article Five character, meaning an attack on Saudi Arabia is an attack on Pakistan. Iran knew all of this. And Iran still trusted Pakistan to negotiate honestly on its behalf with Washington.

That is not naivety. That is the rarest form of diplomatic credibility on earth.
You ask whether Pakistan is detached from reality or whether this is a massive diplomatic pivot, it is neither. It is something more precise than either of those descriptions.

Pakistan has emerged from the shadows of being called the epicentre of global terror and has become, in the span of a single extraordinary diplomatic moment, the centre of regional stability.

Those are not my words as boast. They are the judgement of the most powerful actors on earth.

President @realDonaldTrump trusted Pakistan completely. JD @JDVance spent dozens of hours in direct conversation with Field Marshal Asim Munir, three hours at a time, point by point, building the framework that held.

Washington trusted Pakistan with intelligence, with messaging, with the most sensitive back-channel communications of the entire crisis.

Saudi Arabia trusted Pakistan completely. The defence treaty is public. The presence of Pakistani forces at Prince Sultan Air Base is documented. Riyadh did not extend that commitment to a state it considered unreliable or peripheral.

#China trusted Pakistan completely. The western theatre of China’s strategic architecture runs entirely through Pakistani territory.

#CPEC, #Gwadar, the #Karakoram_Highway built at the cost of fourteen hundred Pakistani and three hundred Chinese lives, these are not commercial arrangements.

They are the physical expression of a strategic commitment that Beijing has now seen tested under pressure and held.
Iran trusted Pakistan completely. Despite knowing where Pakistan’s soldiers were standing.

There is no other country that held simultaneously the complete trust of all four of those actors at the same moment of maximum regional tension.

And before you or anyone else suggests Pakistan was punching above its weight, consider this. Gwadar is already registering four hundred percent more traffic than before the conflict. The world votes with its shipping routes. Investors and logistics chains do not move toward weakness. They move toward stability and strategic relevance.

Pakistan has not punched above its weight.Pakistan has finally been recognised at its actual weight. A weight built over five thousand years of geography, over fourteen hundred soldiers and three hundred Chinese engineers who died building the Karakoram Highway, over decades of absorbing the consequences of every regional catastrophe from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to the Talibanization of the region, to the proxy conflicts that Iran conducted for forty-seven years along Pakistan’s own borders.

#Pakistan is now being recognised as the solution state. That is not detachment from reality. That is reality finally catching up with what Pakistan always was.

With deep respect for the UAE’s extraordinary achievements, I hope that the peace now takes shape.

[🇸🇦Abdulsalam Saleh @abdulslam2017]

🚨 The Gulf states are on the verge of turning the page on their disputes with Iran. Tehran has announced its readiness for new relations, and Riyadh is hosting reconciliation talks.

Those who refused to be dragged into war are now reaping the rewards of their wisdom. Those who bet on stoking discord between the Gulf and Iran find themselves the biggest losers. The “New Middle East” that Tel Aviv dreamed of amid the rubble of war is being born today in Riyadh—not with missiles, but with handshakes.🇧🇭🇰🇼🇴🇲🇦🇪🇶🇦🇮🇷🇸🇦🦅

[Murtaza Solangi @murtazasolangi]

The very fact that the Iranian President decided to land in Pakistan right on the heels of the Bürgenstock meeting says a lot the trust Iranian leadership has in Pakistan. Earlier we heard the same praise from top US leadership including the US President and the Vice President.
While a few countries are part of the problems, Pakistan has proved to be a part of solution to those problems. That is something to be proud of, as a Pakistani.

[Ashok Swain @ashoswai]

Iranian President arriving in Pakistan and Pakistani Air Force jets are escorting his plane. Islamabad has become the center of global diplomacy in these troubled times.

[Dr.Sarah Alam @mamaian02]

I’ve enrolled in Rotman’s Generative & Agentic AI Program strengthening my work at the intersection of AI, governance, and global affairs.

AI is reshaping leadership, policy, and society. We need frameworks that balance innovation with ethics, safety, and inclusion.

Looking forward to bringing these insights into my work with Fusion Fora, NAASAA, and the communities I serve.
The future belongs to leaders who understand both people and technology.

[Dr.Sarah Alam @mamaian02]

Shared insights on Bol TV about AI’s impact on society from governance to ethics to community readiness. These conversations matter more than ever as AI accelerates. Continuing this work through Fusion Fora, NAASAA, and my AI studies at Rotman.

[Kamran Khan @AajKamranKhan]

BREAKING: Solid and meaningful progress in the U.S.–Iran peace talks, which continued well past midnight in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Pakistani and Qatari mediators say the first day of high-level negotiations produced “encouraging progress.”

According to the mediators, Washington and Tehran have agreed to establish:
• a High-Level Committee to oversee the negotiations, and
• a De-confliction Cell tasked with ensuring an end to military operations in Lebanon.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Jared Kushner Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi worked closely with Pakistani and Qatari mediators during the intensive late-night diplomatic efforts.

[Taymur Malik @BlueMist911]

🚨THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGH FROM SWITZERLAND: 🇵🇰🇺🇸🇮🇷

A Pakistani journalist Mansoor Ali Khan in Switzerland reveals that Pakistan has successfully finalised the final draft agreement between #Iran & the #US.
Pakistani mediation has delivered massive progress to end the #Lebanon War:

1. Sanctions Waived: Oil and petrochemical exports for Iran are now waived.

2. Blockade Lifted: Shipping and trade blockades have been removed.

3. Funds Released: A portion of Iran's frozen assets has been released.

4. Reconstruction: A major development and rebuilding plan has been launched for Iran.

The official 60 day roadmap to reach the final peace deal is now fully set. Once again, the intense propaganda from hostile Indian & Israeli lobbies has completely failed.

[Elijah J. Magnier 🇪🇺 @ejmalrai]

The latest developments in Switzerland suggest that, despite the public drama, the negotiations are moving forward rather than collapsing.

According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Qatari and Pakistani mediation helped achieve significant progress on implementing key elements of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding. Discussions reportedly covered oil and petrochemical sanctions relief, the lifting of the naval blockade, the partial release of frozen Iranian assets, and the launch of a large-scale economic and reconstruction programme that could ultimately exceed $300 billion if the agreement survives the sixty-day implementation period.

More importantly, both sides agreed to a sixty-day roadmap aimed at transforming the memorandum into a comprehensive and permanent agreement. The creation of a Lebanon deconfliction mechanism is particularly significant because it represents the first practical test of whether Washington can deliver on commitments linked to regional stability.

The Iranian walkout should therefore be viewed in context. Tehran did not leave because the negotiations had failed. It left in protest against President Trump's threats and rhetoric. The distinction matters. Iranian officials wanted to demonstrate that negotiations will continue, but not at the cost of accepting public humiliation or threats against their representatives.

In reality, the two tracks are moving in opposite directions. The diplomatic track is advancing while the political rhetoric remains confrontational.

This reinforces the impression that Trump is attempting to balance two contradictory objectives. On one hand, he wants a deal and appears eager to secure a major diplomatic achievement. On the other hand, he wants to maintain the image of a leader applying maximum pressure on Iran. The result is a recurring pattern of harsh public statements accompanied by continued negotiations behind closed doors.

The most difficult obstacle remains Lebanon. Iran has explicitly linked the full implementation of its commitments to progress in ending hostilities and securing an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Israel, however, continues to insist that it will maintain control over what it calls a security zone for as long as necessary.

This is where the agreement will face its first serious test. Washington has already demonstrated that it can pressure Israel into accepting temporary ceasefires and pauses in military operations. What remains unknown is whether the United States is willing or able to compel Israel to withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory if that becomes the price of preserving the broader agreement with Iran.

The answer to that question may determine whether the memorandum evolves into a historic settlement or becomes another temporary arrangement that eventually collapses under the weight of conflicting regional objectives.

[Saad Kaiser 🇵🇰 @TheSaadKaiser]

Joint statement by Qatar and Pakistan 🚨
🔺 First high-level talks under the Islamabad MoU were held in Switzerland with Iran, the USA, Pakistan, and Qatar.
🔺 The meeting was positive and constructive, with good initial progress.
🔺 A system was created for further technical discussions.
🔺 A High-Level Committee has been formed to oversee the negotiations.
🔺 Teams will work on key issues like nuclear matters, sanctions, and dispute resolution.
🔺 A roadmap has been agreed to reach a final deal within 60 days.
🔺 A communication channel has been set up to avoid misunderstandings and ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
🔺 A de-confliction cell will help maintain peace in Lebanon as agreed.
🔺 Technical talks will continue throughout the week.
🔺 Pakistan and Qatar appreciated the cooperation of the USA, Iran, and other supporting countries.

[Barak Ravid @BarakRavid]

🇶🇦🇵🇰🇺🇸🇮🇷In a joint statement at the end of the Lake Lucerne summit, the mediators - Qatar and Pakistan - said "encouraging progress has been made" during the 18 hours of negotiations.
👍👎The mediators said the U.S. and Iran agreed to establish a High Level Committee, which will provide political oversight to the negotiation in addition to working groups focused on nuclear, sanctions, and a monitoring and dispute resolution group.
🗺️Qatar and Pakistan said the U.S. and Iran agreed on 'a roadmap" for reaching a final deal within 60 days..
🚢The parties agreed to establish a "communication line" regarding the situation in the strait of Hormuz that will operate as long as negotiations continue, in order "to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz", the mediators said in the statement.
🇱🇧The U.S. and Iran also agreed to create a "de-confliction cell" together with Lebanon and the mediators "to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon"

[Azhar Javaid @azharjavaiduk]

Great Success in Diplomacy: Congratulations to Pakistan Leadership PM Shehbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi has acknowledged major progress following the diplomatic efforts led through the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar.

Araghchi said that tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered significant progress toward ending the war in Lebanon, with key developments including waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, lifting of the blockade, release of some frozen assets, and the launch of a major reconstruction and development plan for Iran.

The next major test will be the Lebanon de-confliction cell, aimed at ensuring implementation of commitments and preventing further escalation.

This diplomatic breakthrough is being seen as a significant achievement for Pakistan’s peace efforts. Congratulations to Pakistan’s leadership, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, for their role and efforts in supporting dialogue, stability and regional peace.

[Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal]

🇮🇷🇺🇲🇵🇰 Iranian media says that principal Iranian negotiator’s work in Switzerland is DONE. Talks will now continue at technical level only.

Qatar and mediators are expected to release detailed updates on the current U.S.-Iran agreements very soon.

After all the drama, the real shape of this deal is about to drop.

Source: @sentdefender / Writer: Oliver

[Trita Parsi @tparsi]

This is quite astounding. The Prime Minister of Qatar and the American Vice President are not just negotiating the deal, but they are actively typing it into the laptop.

They are doing the legwork, not just the decision-making.

[Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal]

🇺🇸🇶🇦 Qatar’s PM is in Lucerne with JD Vance and Jared Kushner, saying that work continues overnight.

These guys are grinding hard behind the scenes trying to hold this Iran deal together while Hormuz on a standstill and Lebanon is still a fragile hotspot.

No sleep for the deal-makers. Hopefully Trump can contain himself from making more threats.

Source: WarFront Witness on Telegram / Writer: Oliver

[🇸🇦Abdulsalam Saleh @abdulslam2017]

🚨 The Iranian foreign minister has just stated: Pakistani-Qatari mediation has achieved a major breakthrough toward ending the war. Some oil sanctions have been lifted, the blockade has been lifted, and a portion of the frozen assets has been released, along with the launch of a major reconstruction and development plan.

The first real test will be the Lebanon de-escalation cell.

[Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi]

Tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War. Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran.

1st real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell

[Shanaka Anslem Perera ⚡ @shanaka86]

A sitting US president just publicly called the resignation of an allied prime minister, hours before that prime minister is expected to name the date himself. Trump did not leak it. He posted it.

Where it actually stands tonight. Keir Starmer has not resigned. He is at Chequers with his family, still insisting "I will run, I will stand." But the floor is gone. More than 95 of his own MPs have called for him to go. His health secretary quit. His defence secretary quit. A senior figure in his own party says he has "absolutely no authority" left. And on Thursday Andy Burnham, the Manchester mayor, won a seat in parliament with 55% of the vote, is sworn in as an MP Monday, and is openly circling the job.

Now the strangest fact in British politics tonight, the one nobody is saying. Net migration to the UK did not rise under Starmer. It collapsed. From a peak of 944,000 to 204,000 in two years, the lowest since 2021, down 69% in the last year alone. The exact issue Trump named as his failure is the one where the numbers moved hardest in his favor.

It did not save him. Because the boats still cross the Channel on the news every night, energy bills stay high while the North Sea stays shut, and a country that feels the strain does not read the statistics before it turns on its leader.

This is the pattern devouring Western governments this year. Borders and energy. The same two forces now ending a prime minister who cut migration by three quarters and still lost the room.

Starmer fixed the number and lost the story. In this era, the story wins every time.