Pakistan will continue efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy between the United States and Iran despite renewed military escalation between the two countries, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Wednesday.
Andrabi made the remarks at Pakistan’s weekly media briefing in Islamabad, saying the country remained hopeful that diplomacy could continue despite the latest escalation. He said Pakistan would remain engaged in efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts gained momentum earlier this year, with Islamabad facilitating contacts between the United States and Iran that led to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement was presented by Pakistan as a framework for continued dialogue and negotiations aimed at achieving a longer-term settlement.
Andrabi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also discussed the evolving regional situation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. He said Pakistan remained committed to its role as a mediator and facilitator.
The renewed diplomatic push comes as the latest U.S.-Iran escalation has spread beyond the two countries. Iran has launched attacks targeting U.S. military positions in several regional countries, while the United States has carried out strikes against Iranian military targets. Reuters reported that the latest exchange has raised concerns about a broader regional conflict and disruption to energy supplies.
Pakistan’s mediation faces a difficult test as mistrust between Washington and Tehran deepens. Earlier mediation efforts helped produce a framework for negotiations, but the latest military escalation has demonstrated how quickly diplomatic progress can be disrupted by renewed hostilities.
