Can Pakistan Still Mediate an End to the Iran War?

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A deal is a long way off, but Islamabad still remains the only credible intermediary for Tehran and Washington.

Following the failure to reach an agreement in Islamabad on April 12–13, the diplomatic track between Washington and Tehran did not collapse—but it moved from the public view. On April 16, President Trump announced that “…we have a lot of agreement with Iran” and that if a deal was confirmed, he might personally sign it in Islamabad.

No formal US-Iran talks are scheduled in the immediate term, contradicting earlier expectations of a rapid return to negotiations in Islamabad. Instead, the channel is being rerouted more quietly: through backchannel exchanges, with Pakistan once again at its center.

Tehran is hosting Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who is widely believed to be carrying messages from Washington. 

Since the last, unsuccessful talks, Washington has escalated pressure, announcing a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, President Donald Trump has struck a more ambiguous tone. While publicly doubling down on coercion, he has also suggested in a recent interview that the war “may be over soon.” Meanwhile, reports indicate that discussions are underway to extend the current ceasefire beyond April 20.

These mixed signals reflect a........

© The National Interest