ISLAMABAD:
In a diplomatic development that stunned observers around the world, Pakistan became a central mediator in brokering a peace process between the United States and Iran, moving two longtime adversaries back from the brink of a broader regional war toward a formal agreement announced on June 14.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, announcing the breakthrough in the early hours of Monday morning, called it a “new dawn of peace.”
The statement immediately attracted worldwide attention, with several world capitals acknowledging Pakistan’s role in facilitating the process, while Israel and India notably refrained from referring to Islamabad’s involvement.
According to former diplomats and international affairs experts, this achievement was not accidental but the result of sustained, discreet and strategically positioned diplomacy.
At a time when escalating hostilities between Washington and Tehran had raised fears of a broader conflict, including concerns over disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy route, Pakistan entered a space that no other actor was able or willing to occupy.
Experts say Pakistan’s credibility stems from its unique diplomatic position: simultaneously trusting Washington and Tehran, maintaining constructive ties with Gulf states and staying away from direct military entanglements in the conflict zone.
This allowed Islamabad to function as a rare bridge between two deeply polarized camps.
Former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and senior diplomat Masood Khan termed the achievement as unprecedented.
“It is a historic achievement, unprecedented in diplomatic history, when a single country managed to negotiate a ceasefire, host face-to-face talks between two sworn enemies for the first time in 47 years and sign a memorandum of understanding. Today, Pakistan stands at the highest pinnacle of its state. Its diplomacy is at the pinnacle. This is not hyperbole, it is reality,” he remarked.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed also highlighted the importance of Pakistan’s mediation. “It is only because of Pakistan and its mediation that the ceasefire took place on April 7, 2026. Israel continuously tried to destroy the process. So the credit goes to Pakistan for what it did,” he said, adding, “After 47 years, Pakistan was able to bring them together in the same city, in the same hotel, in the same room. This was not even possible for any country, not even the UN, OIC, the European Union or the Arab League.”
Despite repeated geopolitical pressure points and attempts to disrupt the process, Pakistan maintained its diplomatic track and ensured continuity of trade between the two sides.
Analysts remain divided on whether Pakistan’s role fundamentally altered the trajectory of the conflict or simply hastened an inevitable thaw.
Former UN ambassador Munir Akram, however, says the intervention was decisive in preventing an escalation into a wider regional war.
“It’s a very fair statement that Pakistan helped avoid a broader regional war. The United States wanted an initial deal. Iran wanted its assets and other things. We found a way to solve both of their problems. The Gulf countries were attacked, so it was a broader war. Containing it is a big thing.”
He added that negotiations remain ongoing and require continued engagement over the next 60 days to formalize ceasefire agreements, resolve asset disputes and resolve maritime issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.
Masood Khan warned of the wider issues involved. “There was deep distrust between the United States and Iran. Both had opposed a long war. And there were many disruptive factors in the game. But Pakistan soon realized that this war, which had held the entire world hostage, could escalate into multiple conflicts that would have triggered a third world war. Already, three continents, the Americas, Asia and Europe, had become part of the war theaters. Pakistan took out the world of the precipice.”
The development has also triggered reflection on Pakistan’s evolving diplomatic identity, with analysts noting a shift from earlier periods of tense foreign relations to a renewed relevance of high-level mediation efforts.
Mushahid Hussain Syed said Pakistan was reclaiming its traditional diplomatic role. “Pakistan has always played a major role. We lost our way after the Afghan conflict. So we are getting back to what we were good at.”
He added: “Pakistan is no longer just any other country, but now a major Muslim power in the most strategic region. Not a middleman or anything, but a major Muslim power.”
Masood Khan placed this advancement within a longer historical continuum of Pakistani diplomacy, referencing past roles in US-China engagement and Middle East peace processes, calling the latest development a “historic achievement” in this trajectory.
Mushahid further described it as one of Pakistan’s most important diplomatic victories in decades, adding, “I would say this is one of Pakistan’s biggest diplomatic triumphs in decades, like after the OIC Council held in Lahore and the China-US talks in 1971. It is huge.” This has historic consequences for the region and the world.” He concluded: “Pakistan is now the benchmark country for global diplomacy. All roads lead to Islamabad. »
Yet the key question, analysts note, is whether Pakistan can convert this diplomatic momentum into long-term strategic and economic dividends.
