Pakistan’s mediation
How Islamabad brought Washington, Tehran to table
By Syed Ali Abbas
Pakistani researcher at Center for International Strategic Studies
As delegations from the United States and Iran convened in Islamabad on April 11 for direct negotiations facilitated by Pakistan, the international community witnessed a development that few had anticipated. Pakistan, which brokered a ceasefire between the two warring parties on April 7, had emerged as the principal intermediary in one of the most consequential diplomatic efforts in history. That both Washington and Tehran accepted Pakistan in this role, at a moment of acute military conflict and deep mutual hostility, reflects a convergence of factors that deserve serious attention. Understanding how Pakistan curved out this position requires a study of the relationships it has cultivated, the diplomatic stance it has maintained, and the structural conditions that made it the only actor simultaneously trusted by both sides.
Foundation of Pakistan’s credibility
Pakistan’s ability to mediate between the United States and Iran rests fundamentally on the character of its bilateral relationships with both sides. These relationships reflect decades of sustained engagement that have established a degree of mutual confidence not easily replicated by other potential intermediaries.
Pakistan’s relationship with the United States has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. High-level diplomatic and military engagement, including direct contacts between Pakistan’s senior leadership and the Trump administration, established a channel of communication that proved essential when Washington required a credible intermediary to engage Tehran. Pakistan’s conduct during its bilateral conflict with India in May 2025, specifically its demonstrated preference for de-escalation and its public acknowledgment of American diplomatic efforts in bringing that crisis to a close, consolidated its standing in Washington considerably. The personal rapport developed between Pakistan’s leadership and President Trump during this period created a foundation of trust that became directly relevant to the mediation effort months later.
Pakistan’s relationship with Iran operates on an entirely different but equally substantive basis. The two countries share a long border and a history of bilateral engagement that predates the contemporary state system in its cultural and civilizational dimensions. Iran was among the first countries to recognize Pakistan’s independence, and that foundational gesture has shaped the quality of the bilateral relationship ever since. Pakistan and Iran have maintained constructive diplomatic ties across periods of considerable regional turbulence, and Islamabad has consistently approached Tehran as a neighboring state deserving of respect and engagement.
Beyond its historical foundations, Pakistan’s engagement with Iran also rests on a concrete institutional dimension. As the country that represents Iran’s diplomatic interests in Washington, Pakistan possessed a practical channel that no other potential mediator had access to. When the conflict erupted on February 28, Pakistan was able to activate this channel, engaging across multiple capitals within days and putting forward a concrete ceasefire framework that included an immediate halt to hostilities, a two-week negotiation window, and confidence-building measures.
Pakistan’s position in the current conflict has been firmly rooted in international law and the principles of state sovereignty, calling consistently for a negotiated resolution and the protection of civilian populations. This stance reflects a broader and longstanding feature of Pakistani foreign policy, that when Muslim states are drawn into conflict with one another or with external powers, Pakistan’s role is not to take sides but to work actively toward peace and stability.
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