As the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran hangs in the balance, Washington appears to be increasingly relying on Pakistan's military-backed diplomacy to prevent the West Asia conflict from spiralling back into war.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday openly acknowledged Islamabad's role in the ongoing mediation push, expressing hope that Pakistani engagement in Tehran could help unlock stalled negotiations.
“I believe the Pakistanis will be travelling to Tehran today. So hopefully that'll advance this further,” Rubio told reporters, even as US President Donald Trump warned that talks with Iran remained right on the borderline between a breakthrough and renewed military action.
According to multiple media reports, Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has already visited Iran twice within a week, holding meetings with senior Iranian leaders as Islamabad attempts to bridge widening gaps between Tehran and Washington.
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Reports from Iranian media, including ISNA, suggested Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir could also travel to Tehran for high-level consultations, although there was no official confirmation from Islamabad.
The latest diplomatic activity comes weeks after Pakistan hosted rare direct negotiations between US and Iranian officials in Islamabad, talks reportedly facilitated by Munir himself. While those discussions failed to produce a permanent settlement, diplomats say Pakistan has remained a crucial communication channel between both sides.
According to Reuters and AFP, negotiations have now entered a sensitive phase focused on sanctions relief, maritime security guarantees and the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that carries nearly a fifth of the world's oil shipments.
Iran continues to insist on retaining some level of supervisory control over Hormuz after imposing wartime restrictions during the conflict, while Washington has demanded unrestricted maritime passage. Rubio warned that any Iranian tolling system in the strait would make a diplomatic settlement unfeasible.
Tehran, meanwhile, has maintained a defiant posture despite ongoing indirect negotiations. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned of a forceful response if the country faced another military strike, accusing the US of still pursuing military objectives despite the ceasefire.
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The diplomatic pressure has intensified amid fears that prolonged disruption in Hormuz could trigger higher global energy and food prices.
Trump, facing rising domestic pressure over fuel costs and instability in the Gulf, said a deal could emerge very quickly but insisted Iran must provide 100 percent good answers.
Analysts said that for now, Pakistan's mediation, and the possibility of another Munir-led intervention, appears to be Washington's best remaining hope to prevent the Iran war from reigniting.
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