The diplomacy surrounding the Iranian-American conflict is evolving. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Beijing on Tuesday to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, leading to the announcement of a five-point joint initiative aimed at ending hostilities.
This initiative includes an immediate ceasefire, the opening of humanitarian corridors, the initiation of peace talks respecting the independence of Iran and the Gulf states, the halt of strikes on civilian infrastructure – including nuclear facilities – the restoration of free movement of commercial ships, and the establishment of a comprehensive peace framework based on the UN Charter.
“It is clearly a balanced five-point initiative that we both agreed on, and that everyone would be happy to endorse,” Dar said after the meeting. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, when asked about the move, simply stated that “negotiations with Iran are going well”, without elaborating on the details of the Sino-Pakistani plan.
Pakistan, a reluctant mediator
Islamabad is at the center of this diplomatic effort out of both ambition and necessity. Pakistan shares a 900-kilometer land border with Iran, and the risk of the conflict spilling over into the Balochistan province – already grappling with an insurgency – poses a direct threat to the country’s stability. Adding to this are the underlying sectarian tensions: Pakistan hosts the largest Shia population globally outside of Iran, with dozens losing their lives in protests triggered by the initial American-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran.
According to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Islamabad cannot afford to choose sides: its economy and energy security are closely linked to the Gulf monarchies, and a recent defense pact with Riyadh could draw it into a broader conflict if Saudi Arabia escalates military operations.
“Pakistan has significant stakes in the outcome of this war. We also have decades of engagement with Washington’s military and foreign policy establishments, which means there is a common language and a degree of mutual understanding facilitating this kind of sensitive diplomacy,” explained Jamal Aziz, executive director of the Pakistani think tank Research Society of International Law, at the Quincy Institute.
