Dar arrives in Washington for talks with US Secretary Rubio

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Washington, DC, on Friday for an official visit during which he will meet with US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio to discuss issues of bilateral and regional importance, after concluding his engagements at the United Nations in New York.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO), Dar was received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, along with senior officials of the Pakistan Embassy.

“After completing his official engagements, he will return to Islamabad later today,” the statement added.

On Thursday, FO said discussions during the visit would focus on strengthening cooperation in key sectors as well as Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability through “dialogue and diplomacy”.

Dar’s visit to Washington comes immediately after a series of high-level engagements at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he participated in a public debate of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened under the Chinese presidency of the council.

Addressing the UN Security Council session, Dar on Tuesday called for restraint and de-escalation in the Middle East, warning the Security Council that another protracted conflict would endanger regional peace and further strain the fragile international order.

Addressing a public debate, Dar, while referring to ongoing efforts to reach a resolution to the conflict between Iran and the United States, said the principle of peaceful settlement must apply equally to all long-standing disputes on the Security Council’s agenda.

“The whole world is watching us. We must succeed in the interests of regional and global peace and security,” he told the 15-member UN Security Council. “As a friendly neighbor of Iran and brotherly Gulf countries, Pakistan has always stood for restraint, de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.”

During his stay in New York, Dar also held meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other senior diplomats, during which discussions focused on regional conflicts, Afghanistan, Palestine, South Asia and reform of the UN Security Council. Pakistan also reiterated its support for greater multilateral cooperation and reforms to global governance institutions.

The foreign minister’s latest visit demonstrates the continued momentum in diplomatic engagement between Pakistan and the United States, at a time when Islamabad is assuming an increasingly visible role in regional diplomacy, particularly with regard to ongoing indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran.

Recent international reports have highlighted Pakistan’s involvement in facilitating communication channels aimed at easing tensions between the two sides.

Relations between Pakistan and the United States have seen renewed engagement in recent months, with cooperation expanding beyond traditional security issues to diplomacy, regional stability and economic coordination. Washington is also increasingly recognizing Islamabad’s role in mediation efforts related to the Middle East crisis, as the two countries continue discussions on trade, energy cooperation and broader regional security issues.

The visit comes as part of ongoing diplomatic exchanges between Islamabad and Washington on regional security and bilateral cooperation. According to the statement, Dar will return to Islamabad later the same day after the completion of his official engagements.