After US-Iran deal, can Pakistan sustain regional mediator role?
Pakistan emerged as a key mediator after helping secure the deal that ended the war between Iran and the US, but whether it can sustain this role in the Middle East in the future will depend on a range of regional and geopolitical factors.
Islamabad suddenly found itself in the limelight as a lead mediator, helping avert a dangerous escalation in the US-Iran war with a ceasefire and the first direct US-Iran talks in decades. If the next phase of US-Iran negotiations goes smoothly, Pakistan can consolidate its growing influence in Middle Eastern diplomacy. However, if the talks prove inconclusive, Islamabad may find itself in a no-win situation.
After more than three months of conflict, Washington and Tehran have entered a new phase of talks aimed at reaching a nuclear agreement and implementing the framework agreement signed on Wednesday. On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said that the 60-day window in which the US and Iran must reach an agreement "officially started today."
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is participating in the first round of Iran-US talks this weekend.
Despite Islamabad achieving what many once considered impossible, the most difficult phase may still lie ahead.
