Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of the agreement between Iran and the United States to permanently end military operations could mark one of the most important diplomatic developments in the Middle East in recent decades.
After years of confrontation, sanctions, military escalation and recurring crises that repeatedly brought the region to the brink of a broader conflict, the signing of a formal understanding, electronically, between Tehran and Washington offers a rare opportunity to replace confrontation with diplomacy.
However, the euphoria and optimism created by the agreement must be tempered by caution. There is always a risk that peace agreements will be derailed in the period between announcement and implementation. History is replete with examples of saboteurs seeking to derail diplomatic initiatives through provocations, military escalations, or political sabotage.
Israel has already announced that it is not bound by the Iran-US deal. The Israeli announcement came despite US President Trump’s warning against actions in Lebanon that could undermine the peace process, highlighting the fragility of the current moment.
It would therefore be crucial for all regional actors to exercise restraint and recognize that what is at stake extends far beyond bilateral relations between Iran and the United States.
The importance of the agreement lies not simply in ending the war between Iran and the United States, but also in creating an opportunity to rethink the security framework of the region. The Middle East has suffered for decades from the lack of an inclusive security architecture to manage disputes, reduce mistrust and prevent crises from escalating into armed conflicts.
Temporary understandings can reduce tensions, but lasting stability requires institutions, mechanisms and habits of cooperation. This is where Pakistan’s role deserves special mention, especially in the hostilities between the United States and Iran.
It is commonly assumed that the success of any mediation effort depends fundamentally on the credibility of the mediator. Diplomatic channels can only work when both parties trust the intermediary’s intentions, discretion, and ability to understand their concerns.
The Iran-US peace deal appears to have uniquely positioned Pakistan as a credible partner. There is a reason for this: Pakistan enjoys a long-standing relationship with Iran, rooted in geography, history, cultural ties and shared strategic interests. At the same time, Pakistan has maintained constructive relations with the United States across multiple administrations and remains an important regional partner.
Indeed, when one examines Iran’s neighborhood and the region in general, it is difficult to identify another country that at the same time enjoyed the same trust from both Tehran and Washington. Many states are perceived to be closer to one side or the other. Pakistan’s ability to maintain working relations with both countries while preserving its credibility made it particularly suited to facilitating dialogue during a period of extraordinary tension.
However, Pakistan’s credibility alone did not produce the agreement. The actual mediation process was painstaking, grueling and often invisible to the public eye, during which Pakistan made strenuous efforts to iron out the parties’ divergent positions. Diplomatic advances are rarely achieved through dramatic gestures.
They emerge through countless meetings, careful consultations, and meticulous work on language. In negotiations involving highly sensitive political and security issues, every word matters. A single sentence can determine whether a deal succeeds or fails. Pakistan played the role of not only an honest broker but also helped the parties overcome obstacles.
Pakistan has traditionally enjoyed a strong reputation for its diplomatic professionalism and negotiating skills in both bilateral and multilateral forums. Pakistani diplomats have long been recognized for their ability to craft language that bridges differences, takes into account competing interests, and creates space for compromise without forcing either side into politically difficult positions.
This experience becomes especially valuable in negotiations where both sides must be able to present the outcome as consistent with their national interests and domestic political requirements. Both Iran and the United States appreciated Pakistan’s valuable contribution in salvaging the dialogue through its negotiation skills.
It is reasonable to assume that these diplomatic strengths would have played an important role in helping Tehran and Washington move from confrontation to consensus.
If the deal proves durable, especially if Iran’s frozen assets are released and sanctions are lifted, it will serve as a reminder that diplomacy often succeeds not because of public rhetoric but because of the patient and largely invisible efforts of skilled negotiators. Pakistan convinced interlocutors to see the bigger picture.
Pakistan’s contribution, however, should not end with mediation. There are numerous interstate disputes that affect the peace of the region. The emerging diplomatic opening presents Islamabad with an opportunity to promote a broader vision for regional stability.
The Middle East and the broader Muslim world continue to face multiple security challenges, including interstate rivalries, proxy conflicts, terrorism, economic vulnerabilities, and growing geopolitical competition between external powers.
Addressing these challenges requires a more comprehensive approach than crisis management alone. While Pakistan alone cannot play a role in bilateral disputes, it can act as a mediator if the litigants demand it.
Pakistan is uniquely positioned to facilitate consultations between Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkiye, Egypt and the Gulf states to develop a regional security framework. Such a mechanism does not necessarily have to resemble a formal military alliance. Instead, it could focus on conflict prevention, crisis management, economic cooperation, maritime security, anti-terrorism coordination and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, regional states may opt for a security architecture to avoid external interference. The goal should be to create a system in which disputes are managed through dialogue rather than confrontation, and in which collective prosperity becomes a stronger incentive than geopolitical competition.
The diplomatic success associated with the understanding between Iran and the United States also offers a broader lesson for South Asia. Although it may seem unconventional in the current political climate, it would not be at all unusual for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recognize Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s contribution to a diplomatic achievement that improves regional and international stability, especially given that he has congratulated Iran and the United States for signing the peace agreement.
Such a gesture would not diminish India’s interests or prestige. On the contrary, it would demonstrate confidence and political skill.
Modi should not forget that India and Pakistan remain nuclear neighbors whose futures are inescapably linked. While deep differences remain, opportunities to reduce tensions should not be ignored. Recognition of a constructive diplomatic effort could help break the ice between the two countries and reinforce the principle that cooperation for peace benefits the entire region.
Ultimately, the Iran-US deal should not be seen as the end of one process but as the beginning of a broader journey. A regional approach is the need of the hour. It requires efforts to transform a diplomatic breakthrough into lasting peace. That will require vigilance against spoilers such as Israel, sustained political commitment by the parties involved, and a collective effort to build institutions capable of preserving stability.
Pakistan’s role as a dialogue facilitator demonstrates the enduring value of credible mediation, balanced diplomacy and professional statecraft. Pakistan has come a long way to highlight its potential to contribute not only to crisis resolution but also to building a more stable regional order. Opportunities to reshape history do not arise often. The current moment is one of them. The region should take advantage of it.
The writer is former Pakistani ambassador to Iran and the United Arab Emirates. He was also Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of PakGazette.tv.
Originally published in The News
