Pakistan is all set to host a second round of US-Iran peace talks before a fragile ceasefire expires on April 22. The scale of preparation reflects the stakes, with authorities moving to ensure that negotiations proceed without disruption. The first round lasted twenty-one hours and produced no deal, though both sides described the exchanges as constructive. That alone tells its own story. Diplomacy has resumed, but trust has not.
The mood is already strained by brinkmanship. US President Donald Trump claimed that a destroyer blasted an Iranian ship, while Iranian media said Revolutionary Guards chased off a US assault. Tehran cites the blockade and the weekend’s attack as justification for hesitation. However, the White House has once again threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants if there is no deal, confirming the mixed signals that breed mistrust.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has chosen to stay in the room. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reassured Iran’s leadership of Islamabad’s continued commitment to dialogue, while consultations with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Türkiye have sought to build a wider consensus. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has publicly urged both sides to extend the ceasefire and keep talking; calls that have found support in European and regional capitals.
This penchant for peace is calculated. The global economy cannot absorb another oil shock, and any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz feeds directly into inflation, power shortages and fiscal strain. Washington’s blockade tactics have already unsettled markets, and Iran’s responses show how quickly escalation can spiral.
It goes without saying that the crisis validates how far Islamabad has come from its dark days, when successive governments used to declare neutrality while aligning with one bloc or another. Today, the Sharif administration knows too well the political costs of raising country-specific agendas. It is weighing outcomes against immediate national consequences and acting accordingly. That is a more honest form of diplomacy.
Pakistan’s ability to convene adversaries is its greatest strength. That power must be used with care. The world applauds Pakistan’s good offices, but applause will not shield it from the fallout of failure. For that reason alone, Washington and Tehran must move beyond signalling and begin bargaining in earnest. Fly in photo ops are no substitute for compromise. *