No other country on earth is doing what Pakistan is doing right now. It has military ties to Washington. It has security ties to Tehran. And it is now operating in borrowed time, with the ceasefire expired and both sides still refusing to move.
General Asim Munir personally brokered the April 7 ceasefire alongside VP JD Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi. FM Ishaq Dar has been on the phone with Tehran almost constantly since. Pakistan’s Air Force had F-16s and JF-17s ready to escort any Iranian aircraft flying into Islamabad. The escorts were ready. The Iranian plane never came.
Analysts say Pakistan’s role goes beyond being a venue. It is the only actor that can shape the narrative of any eventual deal in a way that lets both Washington and Tehran claim victory. Who wins the story may matter as much as the terms themselves. Iran has spent decades building a wall of mistrust toward Washington. The US has red lines it will not cross publicly. Pakistan is the only country both sides are still willing to sit across from.
China’s public backing of Pakistan’s mediation is no small detail either. Beijing and Islamabad presenting a unified diplomatic front puts meaningful pressure on Tehran, which relies heavily on Chinese economic support, to at least consider returning to the table.
The ceasefire is gone. The window is closing. But Islamabad has not stopped trying.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Dawn, NBC News, CNBC
