- Trump delays Iran strike, signals progress in diplomatic talks.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz engages regional leaders to promote dialogue.
- Pakistan’s balanced foreign policy deserves int’l recognition: analysts.
Pakistan is positioning itself as the leading mediator trying to mediate an end to the US-Israel war against Iran Financial Times reported Monday.
Chief of Defense Staff (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir spoke to US President Donald Trump on Sunday. Reuters cited the newspaper, which cited two people briefed on the call.
It also reported that senior Pakistani officials were backchanneling communications between Tehran, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
US President Donald Trump’s announcement to halt further military attacks on Tehran is seen as a direct result of Islamabad’s strategic diplomatic efforts.
Earlier today, Trump said he had ordered a five-day moratorium on any attack on Iranian power plants, hours before a deadline that threatened to further escalate the conflict now in its fourth week.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president described the past two days of discussions with Iran as “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE”, signaling hope for a “COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST”.
Over the past 48 hours, Pakistan, in close coordination with Turkey and Egypt, has played a central role in back-channel diplomacy, relaying messages between the US and Iran to prevent further conflict and maintain stability in the region.
The country’s engagements highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s proactive leadership and strategic-level engagements between the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, reflecting Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue on confrontation.
To defuse rising tensions in the Middle East, Prime Minister Shehbaz and his administration maintained continuous and strategic contact with both global and regional leaders, coordinating diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue, prevent escalation, and facilitate a peaceful resolution.
In his recent contact, Prime Minister Shehbaz spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone and stressed the need for dialogue and diplomacy between all neighboring countries to settle their differences.
The prime minister also conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the “brave Iranian people in the wake of the ongoing hostilities”.
Analysts note that this coordinated diplomacy demonstrates how regional powers are prioritizing negotiations and reconciliation to ease tensions.
Pakistan’s balanced foreign policy has gained international recognition for maintaining positive relations with all key stakeholders while reducing regional instability.
With continued mediation efforts, global business included Axios and Arabic news report that progress is being made towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28 against Iran, which has rallied markets, driven up fuel costs, accelerated global inflation fears and shaken the Western defense alliance.
