Pakistan’s bid to broker peace stumbles as US-Iran talks collapse; here’s what Islamabad is planning to avoid embarrassment after the deadlock
Peace talks concerning the Iran-US war in the Middle East have collapsed with US President Donald Trump issuing new threats. Amid this, Islamabad is set to take steps to renew what went wrong during the talks
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
The ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, collapsed, leading US President Donald Trump to threaten to block the Strait of Hormuz. After the fallout, Pakistan is once again trying to revive talks between the two nations. As per media reports, officials are trying to persuade the US delegation to return to negotiations with Tehran.
While these claims could not be independently verified, there have been discussions involving Pakistani, Iranian, and American officials. According to a post of the Al-Arabi Al Jadid publication, discussions are taking place in a 'positive atmosphere' with all sides still showing interest in continued dialogue.
Meanwhile, the Dawn has reported that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has also engaged in consultations with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt to coordinate efforts aimed at maintaining the ceasefire and reducing regional tensions.
Shehbaz Sharif to visit Saudi Arabia
As per Geo News and The New Arab, citing sources, informed that Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to visit Saudi Arabia within the Next 48 hours as part of a renewed diplomatic push in West Asia. However, significant differences remain.
A source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the US did not support including Lebanon in any prospective deal with Iran. The American delegation, especially Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, reportedly pushed to separate the Lebanon issue from Iran and leave it fully in Israel's hands, in both peace and conflict.
As per Pakistani sources quoted by The New Arab, tensions over Israel's war on Lebanon and control of the Strait of Hormuz, an important global oil passage, posed significant challenges to a deal.
Islamabad talks fail
The Pakistan talks were the highest-level US-Iran engagement in nearly five decades, centred on reinforcing a fragile ceasefire and tackling disagreements over Tehran's nuclear programme and regional security issues.
However, the discussions ended without a consensus, with both sides blaming each other for failing to bridge key gaps. A US official, speaking anonymously, said Iran had not accepted several American "red lines", including limits on uranium enrichment and broader security conditions.
Tensions escalated soon after, when US President Donald Trump announced a US Navy blockade of vessels entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route carrying nearly a fifth of the world's oil.
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