Pakistan appears to be positioning itself as a potential backchannel in the US‑Israel‑Iran war, after army chief General Asim Munir spoke with US President Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif separately held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The contacts come as Trump announced a five‑day suspension of his threat to strike Iranian power plants, following what he described as “very good and productive” talks with Tehran, though the White House insists no formal negotiations are underway.
Officials say Pakistan has offered Islamabad as a possible venue for talks between senior US figures—including Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—and Iranian representatives. Islamabad is also coordinating with Turkey, Egypt and other regional actors, with Pakistan’s foreign minister speaking to Turkish and Egyptian counterparts in parallel efforts to de‑escalate tensions.
Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson acknowledged receiving US peace overtures via “friendly states,” but stressed that Tehran’s core conditions on the Strait of Hormuz and its wider war posture remain unchanged. Analysts remain skeptical, noting that backchannel messaging alone does not guarantee a breakthrough, given Trump’s domestic pressure and Iran’s belief that it holds the upper hand in the conflict.
Pakistan’s position as an intermediary is underpinned by its lack of US military bases and relative insulation from Iranian strikes, along with its large Shia population and close Gulf ties—including a defence pact with Saudi Arabia. Yet experts warn that Islamabad cannot entirely avoid the war’s economic fallout, given its dependence on Gulf oil and gas imports, even as it tries to present itself as a neutral peace broker.
