In the fog of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, a surprising diplomatic actor has stepped forward: Pakistan. Headlines have rushed to crown it the “sole mediator,” a claim that flatters Islamabad but distorts reality. Pakistan is not the only bridge between Washington and Tehran. Yet dismissing its role would be an equally serious mistake. What we are witnessing is not the rise of a new superpower broker, but something more subtle—and, in this moment, more useful: a state uniquely positioned to move between rivals who trust almost no one else.

The current crisis has exposed a familiar vacuum. Traditional diplomatic mechanisms are either too slow, too formal, or too politically charged to function under pressure. The European Union remains a key architect of long-term frameworks, particularly on nuclear issues, but it is ill-suited to rapid de-escalation amid military brinkmanship. Meanwhile, heavyweight powers like China and Russia bring with them strategic agendas that make Washington wary and complicate Tehran’s calculations. In that crowded but constrained field, Pakistan has found its opening.

The reason is not strength—it is positioning. Pakistan maintains working relationships with both adversaries. Its security ties with Washington, though fluctuating, remain functional. At the same time, it shares a border and ongoing diplomatic channels with Iran. This dual access is rare. Most U.S. allies in the Gulf are viewed with deep suspicion in Tehran, while Iran’s closer partners trigger alarm in Washington.........

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