In early March, as tensions between Washington and Tehran kept escalating towards full-scale war, Pakistan’s offer to mediate was initially met with scepticism.
Analysts warned the conflict was too volatile, with both sides entrenched and unlikely to compromise. Pakistan’s own economic woes, political hardships, and its complex ties to both (close US security partnerships yet workable relations with Iran) added to doubts.
As US President Donald Trump began issuing ultimatums to Iran tied to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and threatened the country with “obliteration”, the odds of a quick diplomatic win looked slim. Backchannel talks dragged on amid missile exchanges and fears of what seemed like a never-ending regional war.
But Pakistan’s diplomacy, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, laid the groundwork for what’s being termed as the “Islamabad Accord,” a two-phase framework for an immediate ceasefire followed by broader negotiations.
After all-night calls involving officials from Pakistan, the US and Iran, Islamabad secured a last-minute two-week truce. Iran agreed to safely reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping; the US suspended strikes. Sharif announced the ceasefire as “effective immediately,” and invited both sides to high-level talks in Islamabad starting April 10.
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International reaction was swift and largely positive toward Pakistan’s contribution.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi publicly thanked “my dear brothers HE Prime Minister of Pakistan Sharif and HE Field Marshal Munir for their tireless efforts to end the war in the region.”
Trump himself credited conversations with Sharif and Munir in his announcement of the truce, describing it as a “double-sided ceasefire” after US military objectives were met and a workable 10-point Iranian proposal emerged.
“Pakistan achieved one of its biggest diplomatic wins in years,” said South Asia expert Michael Kugelman in an X post.
“It also defied many skeptics and naysayers that didn’t think it had the capacity to pull off such a complex, high stakes feat.”
Global leaders from Europe, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia welcomed the deal and praised the mediation push. UN officials and regional powers expressed hope that the Islamabad talks would pave the way for a lasting agreement.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday said he “welcomed” the breakthrough and praised Pakistan’s role in mediating the agreement, emphasising that the immediate priority is to translate the temporary halt in fighting into a lasting peace settlement.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed what he described as a “positive development,” referencing a proposed 10-point plan by Iran.
He praised Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif for “tireless and courageous diplomacy,” highlighting Islamabad’s role in engaging all sides.