Canada commends Pakistan’s role in promoting understanding between the United States and Iran

Canada praised Pakistan’s “constructive role” in supporting diplomatic engagement and mediation efforts between the United States (US) and Iran that helped facilitate the recent understanding reached between the two countries, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOF) on Thursday.

The statement comes hours after Iran and the US electronically signed the ‘Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding’ and the memorandum would come into effect immediately. As a first step, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States will immediately lift the naval blockade.

The acknowledgment came during a telephone conversation between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Wednesday evening.

According to the FO, Anand praised Pakistan’s constructive role in supporting diplomatic engagement and mediation efforts between the US and Iran, which helped facilitate understanding between the two parties.

The two ministers also discussed “the upcoming engagement between the parties in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on Friday,” the statement said, referring to the next round of diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran.

In addition to regional diplomacy, the conversation focused on bilateral ties. The FO said the two ministers, “appreciating the positive momentum in Pakistan-Canada relations, reaffirmed their commitment to expand cooperation across areas of mutual interest”.

Read: Prime Minister Shehbaz announces signing of ‘Islamabad MoU’ by US, Iranian leadership

Iran and the US recently agreed to a peace deal brokered by Pakistan, with both sides declaring an immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. The two parties will hold negotiations for up to 60 days, with the possibility of extending the negotiations if necessary due to the complexity of the issues involved.

The war, which triggered a global energy crisis, erupted after the US and Israel carried out a series of attacks on Iran on February 28, which led to the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the peace deal that ended the three-month conflict in the Gulf in the early hours of Monday in a speech on X. He said the official signing ceremony of the agreement would be held on June 19 in Switzerland.

US President Donald Trump also declared an end to the war in a post on Truth Social.

Pakistan’s leadership, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, have actively pursued diplomatic engagement between the two sides since the beginning of the conflict. The first cease-fire agreement reached between the US and Iran in April was also forged through Pakistan’s efforts.

Trump has repeatedly praised Pakistan’s role as a mediator during the conflict, while world leaders have also praised Islamabad for facilitating diplomatic engagement between the two sides, which eventually led to the peace deal.