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Pakistan acted as an intermediary between the United States and Iran in the hours leading up to a fragile two-week ceasefire, facilitating communication between the two sides as tensions in the region intensified and fears of a wider conflict mounted.
According to a Pakistani source who spoke anonymously, negotiations accelerated shortly before the ceasefire announcement, with discussions continuing “at pace”. The talks were handled by what the source described as a “very small circle” of officials in Pakistan responsible for relaying messages between Washington and Tehran.
The source, who said they were not part of that small group, described the atmosphere during the negotiations as sombre and serious, though there remained cautious hope that hostilities could be halted before the situation deteriorated further.
Pakistan has been passing messages between the United States and Iran for several weeks, acting as a channel of communication between the two countries. Islamabad maintains longstanding ties with Iran and shares a border with the country, often referring to it as a “brotherly” neighbour.
At the same time, Pakistan maintains strategic and military ties with the United States. US President Donald Trump has previously referred to Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, as his “favourite” field marshal and said that he understands Iran “better than most”.
Escalating Attacks Complicated Diplomatic Efforts
Despite the ongoing communication, the prospect of a ceasefire remained uncertain as tensions escalated across the region. Speaking in parliament on Tuesday night, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said there had been optimism about progress until a fresh round of violence changed the situation.
Dar told lawmakers that Pakistan had been “very optimistic that things are moving in a positive direction” until Israel launched an attack on Iran on Monday and Iran subsequently attacked Saudi Arabia. He said Pakistan was still attempting to “manage things as much as possible” despite the worsening conflict.
Pakistan’s military leadership also reacted to the developments. Addressing military officials on Tuesday, Field Marshal Munir criticised the attack on Saudi Arabia, saying it undermined efforts to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.
The remarks were among the strongest language used by Pakistan towards Iran since the conflict began. Some analysts suggested that such criticism could add pressure on Tehran as diplomatic efforts continued.
Pakistan maintains a defence pact with Saudi Arabia, although the agreement has not been invoked despite repeated attacks on the kingdom.
Calls for More Time for Diplomacy
As the crisis deepened, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly called for additional time for diplomacy. In a message posted on X shortly after midnight local time, Sharif said diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict were progressing and could lead to meaningful results.
Sharif urged President Trump to extend his deadline for major strikes on Iran by two weeks to allow negotiations to continue. The appeal came hours before a deadline set by Trump for possible strikes on Iran’s critical infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if no agreement was reached by midnight GMT.
Trump had warned that “a whole civilization will die” if Iran did not heed the warning.
In the same message, Sharif also urged Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a goodwill gesture. The strategic waterway is a vital route for global oil and gas shipments.
Around 03:00 local time, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, indicated progress in the negotiations, saying there had been “a step forward from a critical, sensitive stage”.
Less than two hours later, shortly before 05:00, Sharif announced that a ceasefire had been agreed. He also invited both sides to Islamabad on 10 April for further talks aimed at reaching a more conclusive agreement.
Despite the announcement, officials involved in the discussions have warned that the situation remains fragile. Deep mistrust continues to define relations between Washington and Tehran, and the two-week pause is widely viewed as a narrow diplomatic window rather than a lasting settlement.
