Dar arrives in Washington to speak with US Secretary Rubio

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar arrived on Friday in Washington, DC, for an official visit, where he will meet with the US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio to discuss issues of bilateral and regional importance, after the conclusion of his engagements at the United Nations in New York.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar was received by Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, along with senior officials of the Pakistan embassy.

“After the completion of his official engagements, he will return to Islamabad later that day,” the statement added.

On Thursday, the FO said discussions during the visit would focus on strengthening cooperation in key sectors as well as Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability through “dialogue and diplomacy”.

Dar’s visit to Washington comes immediately after a series of high-level engagements at the UN headquarters in New York, where he participated in an open debate at the UN Security Council (UNSC), convened under China’s chairmanship of the council.

While addressing the UNSC session, Dar called for restraint and de-escalation in the Middle East on Tuesday, warning the UNSC that another protracted conflict would endanger regional peace and further strain the fragile international order.

During an open debate, Dar, while referring to ongoing efforts to achieve a solution to the Iran-US conflict, said the principle of peaceful resolution must apply equally to all protracted disputes on the Security Council’s agenda.

“The whole world is watching. We must succeed in the interest of regional and global peace and security,” he told the 15-member UN Security Council. “As a friendly neighbor to Iran and the brotherly countries of the Gulf, Pakistan has consistently stood for restraint, de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.”

During his stay in New York, Dar also held meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other senior diplomats, where discussions covered regional conflicts, Afghanistan, Palestine, South Asia and reform of the UN Security Council. Pakistan also reiterated its support for greater multilateral cooperation and reform of global governance institutions.

The foreign minister’s latest visit signals continued momentum in diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and the United States at a time when Islamabad has assumed an increasingly visible role in regional diplomacy, particularly with regard to ongoing indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran.

Recent international reports have highlighted Pakistan’s involvement in facilitating communication channels aimed at easing tensions between the two sides.

Pakistan-US relations have witnessed renewed engagement in recent months, with cooperation expanding beyond traditional security issues to diplomacy, regional stability and economic coordination. Washington has also increasingly recognized Islamabad’s role in mediating the Middle East crisis, as both countries continue discussions on trade, energy cooperation and broader regional security issues.

The visit comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Washington on regional security and bilateral cooperation. According to the statement, Dar will return to Islamabad later that day after the completion of his official engagements.