ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met the top US diplomat in Islamabad on Monday to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire and broader agreement between Washington and Tehran, as Pakistan continues to position itself as a key intermediary in the talks.
The meeting between Dar and US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker came a day after Pakistan confirmed it had received Iran’s response to a latest US proposal aimed at ending hostilities and advancing broader negotiations between the two sides.
Pakistan has played an increasingly visible diplomatic role in recent weeks, facilitating communication between Washington and Tehran after the first direct high-level US-Iran talks in decades were held in Islamabad on April 11–12. Pakistani officials have since repeatedly expressed optimism that a deal could be reached “sooner rather than later,” though differences remain over the scope and sequencing of any agreement.
“DPM/FM highlighted Pakistan’s role in facilitating communication between US and Iran, while expressing hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts would contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement after Monday’s meeting.
The talks also covered broader Pakistan-US bilateral ties, according to the statement.
The latest diplomatic push follows weeks of heightened tensions in the Gulf and uncertainty over maritime security in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday Islamabad had received Iran’s response through diplomatic channels, adding that Pakistan’s efforts to encourage dialogue between the two sides were continuing.
US President Donald Trump said last week talks with Iran had been “very good” and that a deal remained “very possible,” though Washington later signaled dissatisfaction with parts of Tehran’s response.
Iran has said it is reviewing the US proposal and would communicate its position through Pakistani mediators.
The Pakistani foreign office statement also said Dar appreciated ongoing US assistance in the repatriation of Pakistani and Iranian seafarers through Singapore after recent hostilities and security incidents in Gulf shipping lanes disrupted commercial maritime traffic and stranded crew members.
