Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC on September 25, 2025. Photo: Handout
US President Donald Trump on Friday dedicated himself to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir following a breakthrough in Iran’s announcement to open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial ships.
In a post on Truth Social, he said: “Thank you to Pakistan and your great Prime Minister and Field Marshal, two fantastic people!”
The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, killing dozens of senior military officers, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, before Pakistan brokered a two-week ceasefire earlier this week.
Tehran retaliated with drone and missile attacks against Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, and restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for oil and gas shipments.
Fighting later spread to Lebanon after Israel launched an offensive there, widening the conflict, while the United States and Israel continued attacks on Iran.
As the conflict continued to expand and intensify, Pakistan emerged as a mediator along with other regional powers in the escalating crisis. When the negotiation process began, the United States and Iran exchanged their respective positions, but the first discussions did not produce progress. However, after sustained diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, both sides agreed to hold talks in Islamabad last week.
But Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement in Islamabad over the weekend during talks that were part of broader efforts to end the conflict.
Trump subsequently announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which came into effect at 14:00 GMT on Monday.
Although the talks ended without progress, they left some hope, and both sides indicated their willingness to continue negotiations. Efforts resumed this week and Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal soon.
With another round of dialogue expected this weekend, Iran took a step toward reducing tension by announcing the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz to all commercial shipping.
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More to follow.
