Trump, Shehbaz Signal Breakthrough in Iran-US Standoff
News Desk
Islamabad: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed optimism that Pakistan would soon host the next round of talks between the United States and Iran, while praising US President Donald Trump for his ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East.
In a post on X, the prime minister said Trump had made “extraordinary efforts to pursue peace” and described a recent telephonic conversation between the US president and regional leaders as “very useful and productive”.
According to PM Shehbaz, the call included leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Pakistan.
He added that Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir represented Pakistan during the discussions and played a key role in the diplomatic process.
“The discussions provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on the current regional situation and how to move the ongoing peace efforts forward to bring lasting peace in the region,” the premier said, adding that Pakistan would continue its mediation efforts “with utmost sincerity”.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/asim-munir-lands-in-tehran-as-pakistan-leads-mediation-efforts/
His remarks came shortly after Trump revealed on Truth Social that he had held a “very good call” with regional leaders regarding a proposed peace agreement involving the United States, Iran and several Middle Eastern countries.
Trump claimed that a broad agreement had largely been negotiated and was now awaiting finalisation. He also stated that discussions on the remaining details were ongoing and that an official announcement could be made soon.
The US president further claimed that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened under the agreement.
However, Iranian news agency Fars disputed Trump’s assertion, reporting that the proposed arrangement would allow Iran to retain control over the strategic waterway and describing Trump’s statement as inconsistent with the actual negotiations.
Trump also disclosed that he separately spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying their conversation “went very well”.
The latest diplomatic contacts come amid increasing pressure from Washington and its regional allies to secure a breakthrough in negotiations with Tehran. Earlier this week, Trump warned that military strikes could resume if a deal was not reached, while also claiming that talks had entered their final stages.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/asim-munirs-iran-visit-signals-diplomatic-breakthrough/
Meanwhile, Pakistan has intensified its role as a mediator between Washington and Tehran. During a recent visit to Iran, Field Marshal Asim Munir met senior Iranian civil and military leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meetings were held in a “positive and constructive environment” and contributed significantly to ongoing mediation efforts.
Pakistan has been actively involved in backchannel diplomacy since tensions escalated following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which were followed by retaliatory Iranian attacks and the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Islamabad previously helped broker a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on April 8 and later hosted direct talks between the two sides on April 11 and 12. Although those discussions ended without a final agreement, Pakistan has continued diplomatic efforts to bridge differences between the two countries.
Input from national and foreign agencies.
