Pakistan played a critical role in preventing the
collapse of ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States, intervening hours before the negotiations were set to fail, according to sources familiar with the talks.
The truce was nearly derailed after an Iranian strike on a Saudi petrochemical facility sparked outrage in Riyadh, threatening weeks of back-channel diplomacy. Pakistani officials worked overnight to deliver messages between Tehran and Washington, ensuring direct contact with top leaders, including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi.
Sources described the tense hours as “almost dead” negotiations, during which Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire without preconditions and consented to enter further talks.
Pakistan also conveyed its “strongest ever anger” to Iran over the Saudi strike while seeking U.S. assurances to restrain Israeli attacks on Iranian targets. Iranian officials said their strike on Jubail was in retaliation for an Israeli attack on an Iranian facility, and they would not negotiate if such attacks continued.
Israeli sources confirmed their opposition to the truce, believing more could be achieved militarily, but ultimately deferred to Washington. The ceasefire, coordinated with Israel, does not include permanent peace, compensation, or sanctions relief, U.S. officials said. They emphasized that any negotiations with Tehran would demand Iran halt uranium enrichment, hand over nuclear material, and end its ballistic missile threats.
The diplomatic effort highlights Pakistan’s pivotal role in maintaining regional stability amid a volatile conflict that has drawn in multiple nations across the Middle East.
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