Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that the country intends to persist in nudging the United States and Iran towards negotiations aimed at ending their war, though it acknowledges significant "obstacles" in these efforts. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, during a weekly media briefing in Islamabad, did not specify the nature of these roadblocks, but his comments came just hours after US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran "back to the Stone Ages" if it did not accept Washington's terms for a peace deal—a move that underscores the volatile backdrop against which Pakistan's diplomatic push is unfolding.
Andrabi emphasized that "despite challenges and obstacles, Pakistan will continue its efforts to promote facilitation and dialogue," adding that Islamabad is working to create conditions for "meaningful negotiations among relevant stakeholders." He noted that both the US and Iran have confidence in Pakistan's role as a neutral intermediary, a trust evidenced by Iran's permission for 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Andrabi described this as "a harbinger of peace" and a positive step for regional stability, though he did not confirm whether any Pakistani ship has yet sailed through the strait, which has been largely blocked since Iran began restricting oil and gas shipments following the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran conflict on February 28, driving up energy prices and triggering widespread economic strain.
High-level contacts between Islamabad and Tehran have been sustained, including a March 28 call in which Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stressing the need to "build trust in order to facilitate talks and mediation" and praising Pakistan for its "supportive role for peace." Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar returned from Beijing, where he met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, resulting in a joint five-point initiative calling for an immediate ceasefire, urgent diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation, and the restoration of normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Andrabi said this Chinese-Pakistani plan has been shared with Iran, the US, and other stakeholders, receiving appreciation "across the region and beyond," and is consistent with outcomes from a four-nation ministerial meeting in Islamabad involving foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt.
Pakistan has formally offered to host direct US-Iran negotiations "in the coming days," with Andrabi reiterating that Pakistan "will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides for a comprehensive and lasting settlement." However, he appeared to acknowledge that Iran—which has so far denied any direct negotiations with the US and insisted mediation is limited to message-passing—is not fully on board, stating that "Iran, as a sovereign country, determines its own policies." This highlights the delicate balance Pakistan must maintain in its mediation role amid entrenched positions from both warring parties.
Separately, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed sending a delegation of senior officials to Urumqi, China, for talks with Afghanistan, marking the first substantive contact since Islamabad launched cross-border strikes in late February. The Urumqi meeting focused on exchanging views on the current escalation, with Andrabi stating that "our participation is a reiteration of our core concerns," but adding that "the burden of real process, however, lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan." This comes as Pakistan continues Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting what it describes as terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan, following alleged unprovoked fire from Afghan Taliban forces, with operations resuming after a five-day Eid-ul-Fitr pause partly in response to de-escalation requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration in Kabul of enabling groups like the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which have launched deadly attacks inside Pakistan, to operate from Afghan soil—allegations that Kabul denies. Pakistan asserts that its concerns remain unaddressed, and violence has surged since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, complicating regional stability efforts. China has also played a role in facilitating engagement between Pakistan and Afghanistan, including previous meetings in Beijing and Kabul, underscoring the multifaceted diplomatic landscape in which Pakistan's mediation efforts are embedded.
Source: www.aljazeera.com