Pakistan Scrambles to Salvage US-Iran Diplomacy as Ceasefire Near Collapse
Primary region Asia
Tags Diplomacy · Security
Regions Asia · Middle East
Pakistan is struggling to preserve the fragile US-Iran ceasefire it brokered after Trump dismissed Iran's latest peace proposal and CBS reported Iran sheltered military aircraft at Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan near Rawalpindi. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry rejected the CBS report as 'misleading and sensationalised,' saying the aircraft arrived as part of diplomatic logistics for April 11 talks. Pakistan has carried proposals between the two sides, which have not met directly since the Islamabad talks. Qatar has backed Pakistan's mediation. Trump is expected to discuss the Iran crisis with Xi in Beijing, seeking Chinese leverage over Tehran.
Strategic interpretation
Pakistan's mediation role is increasingly untenable as both US and Iran harden positions. The CBS report about Iranian aircraft at a Pakistani base — whether accurate or not — undermines Islamabad's credibility as a neutral intermediary. Washington's pivot to seeking Chinese leverage over Tehran through the Trump-Xi summit may marginalize Pakistan's diplomatic role, reducing Islamabad's influence over the outcome.