Welcomes Iran’s engagement in Islamabad talks and reaffirms support for sustained dialogue and diplomacy
Prime Minister Shehbaz (right) speaks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (left) on the U.S.-Iran ceasefire
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday that Pakistan will continue its “sincere and serious” efforts for peace in the region following the latest setback in negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic.
The development comes after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned visit by envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials. Iran’s foreign minister also left the country after a visit with senior officials.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz and the Iranian President held a 50-minute “warm and cordial” telephone conversation on Saturday evening, during which they exchanged views on the current regional situation and ongoing efforts for peace and stability.
Read: US-Iran peace process hits roadblock as Trump cancels envoys’ trip and FM Araghchi leaves Pakistan
Reiterating Pakistan’s position, the Prime Minister said, “Pakistan will continue its sincere and honest efforts to promote regional peace and security. »
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated the participation of the high-level Iranian delegation in the talks held in Islamabad on April 11-12, while also welcoming Iran’s decision to send a delegation led by FM Araghchi to Islamabad today.
Islamabad: April 25, 2026.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif this evening held a telephone conversation with His Excellency Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
During their warm and cordial conversation which lasted fifty minutes, the two leaders had a…
– Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) April 25, 2026
Sharing details of his diplomatic moves, the prime minister said his contacts with world leaders had helped build “a broader consensus for sustained dialogue and diplomacy aimed at achieving lasting peace in the war-affected region.”
He also praised the “fruitful discussions” held between Iranian leaders and Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir during the latter’s recent visit to Tehran earlier this month.
President Pezeshkian thanked PM Shehbaz, CDF Munir and FM Ishaq Dar for their “significant contribution to peace efforts”. He also expressed Iran’s desire for peace and expressed confidence that “the brotherly ties between Iran and Pakistan will continue to strengthen and expand in the future.”
The Prime Minister also conveyed his “respectful greetings and greetings” to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Read also: Turkish Foreign Minister says Iran nuclear issue could be resolved in next round of talks in Pakistan
The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact and continue coordination on issues of common concern.
The prime minister said in a later post on X that he had a “warm and constructive telephone exchange” on the evolving regional situation.
“I appreciated Iran’s continued engagement, including the high-level delegation in Islamabad led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, whom I had the pleasure of meeting earlier today. I reaffirmed that with the support of my friends and partners, Pakistan remains committed to serving as an honest and sincere facilitator – working tirelessly to advance lasting peace and stability in the region.”
This evening I had a warm and constructive telephone exchange with my brother, President Masoud Pezeshkian, on the evolution of the regional situation.
I appreciated Iran’s continued engagement, including the high-level delegation in Islamabad led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who…
– Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 25, 2026
Washington remains stuck in a costly standoff with Tehran, as tensions between the two sides continue to disrupt global energy markets. Iran has reportedly tightened its controls over the Strait of Hormuz – a key shipping route that typically carries around a fifth of the world’s oil reserves – while the United States continues to restrict Iranian oil exports. The standoff, alongside a broader regional conflict involving Israel, has pushed energy prices to multi-year highs, fueling inflation and weakening global growth prospects.
Iran, however, said its officials had no plans to meet with U.S. officials to discuss ending the ongoing conflict, which has reportedly caused heavy casualties among Iranian and Lebanese civilians and roiled global markets.
The situation briefly appeared to improve earlier this week when U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire on Tuesday, giving negotiators more time to resume negotiations.
Read: Pakistan’s envoy to US says Islamabad committed to diplomacy, regional stability
Diplomatic efforts appeared to be gaining momentum after an earlier round of inconclusive talks involving U.S. officials JD Vance, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. These talks, which were held in Islamabad two weeks ago, did not lead to any progress.
On Friday, Trump told Reuters that Iran should present an offer to meet U.S. demands, although he did not elaborate on the details.
Subsequently, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced a visit to Pakistan on Friday. Around the same time, Trump also announced that he would send a U.S. delegation to Islamabad, which would include Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, to continue negotiations.
However, as Araghchi arrived in Islamabad, the president announced that he had canceled the planned visit of US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for peace talks with Iran.
Asked by Axios whether the cancellation signaled a possible resumption of hostilities, Trump replied: “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet.”
Later, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, the US president said the decision was made due to what he described as unnecessary travel and workload considerations.
