New Delhi: In a rare public admission, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that India never agreed to any third-party mediation on issues between the two countries, directly undercutting US President Donald Trump’s claim that he had brokered a ceasefire in the wake of Operation Sindoor.

“India never agreed to any third party mediation,” Dar said in an interview, adding that while Pakistan is open to dialogue with India, New Delhi has not responded. Dar’s response came when asked, “Any negotiations happening with India? Is there any third-party involved? Are you open to third-party involvement?” To this Dar replied, “We don’t mind, but India never agreed.”

He also said a ceasefire offer had come via the US, also there was a suggestion that there would be a dialogue between India and Pakistan at an independent place. Dar further revealed that when Pakistan asked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about Trump’s mediation claim, he categorically clarified that India has always maintained it is a “bilateral issue.”

“When I met Rubio on July 25 in Washington, I asked him what happened to the dialogue. He said that India says that it is a bilateral issue,” he said. Dar added that while Pakistan wants to have a dialogue, it is not possible unless India wishes to do so. “If any country wants dialogue, we are happy… It takes two to tango. Unless India wishes to have a dialogue, we can’t force dialogue,” he added.