Sohail Shahzad / EPA
Pakistan, the country that is mediating negotiations between Iran and the United States, announced this Monday that it is persuading both parties to create the conditions for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, including easing the impasse in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan is optimistic about holding the meeting, considering the objections expressed by the Iranian side and Donald Trump’s threats as maneuvers aimed at the internal public.
As Pakistan tries to reduce differences between Iran and the US in its new role as global peacemaker, it also seeks to strengthen its diplomatic position and attract business.
According to , the three-day visit to Tehran last week by Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munirhelped develop a ceasefire in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and a short-lived breakthrough in opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistani officials expect concessions from both sides, including on Iran’s nuclear program, the most sensitive dispute. If a deal is reached, Pakistan hopes that Trump and the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkianfly to Islamabad to sign the agreement.
A security cordon was reestablished around the center of Islamabad this Sunday, with roads closed and the two hotels in the area empty, in order to accommodate the Iranian and American delegations, should they return.
The only nuclear-armed country in the Muslim world, with an army of 600 mil soldiersPakistan believes that it has fallen short of its potential. As a new multipolar order takes shape, the Asian country seeks greater influence, using its military weight to offset its political and economic weaknesses.
The opportunity arose from the Trump administration’s need to have an interlocutor with Iran, a task that Munir took on after a meeting in June 2025 at the White House.
Ali Sarwar Naqvia former Pakistani diplomat, says Iran did not trust traditional European diplomatic venues to host negotiations. “Pakistan has the confidence of all permanent members of the UN Security Council, and it also has the confidence of Iran,” says Naqvi.
It should be remembered that, for decades, Pakistan managed to balance ties with both Beijing like with Washingtonand maintained a partnership with Gulf States. He also managed to appeal to the China to give guarantees to Iran so that it could enter into peace negotiations.
Even in the midst of its diplomacy, Pakistan’s economic vulnerability has been on display in recent days, with daily power cuts to save money and an emergency loan obtained from Saudi Arabia. There is hope that with greater global prominence, Pakistan can attract more investment, although this will also depend on economic reforms such as lower taxes and more complete laws.
