Canada praises Pakistan’s role in facilitating understanding between the United States and Iran

Canada praised Pakistan’s “constructive role” in supporting diplomatic engagement and mediation efforts between the United States (US) and Iran that helped facilitate the recent understanding reached between the two countries, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday.

The statement comes hours after Iran and the United States electronically signed the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” with the memorandum set to take effect immediately. As a first step, the Islamic Republic of Iran will instantly reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the United States will immediately lift the naval blockade.

The recognition came during a telephone conversation between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Wednesday evening.

According to the FO, Anand “praised Pakistan’s constructive role in supporting diplomatic engagement and mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, which helped facilitate the understanding reached between the two sides.”

The two ministers also discussed “the upcoming engagement between the parties in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on Friday,” according to the statement, referring to the next round of diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran.

Beyond regional diplomacy, the conversation focused on bilateral relations. The FO said the two ministers, “appreciating the positive momentum in Pakistan-Canada relations, reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.”

Read: PM Shehbaz announces signing of ‘Islamabad MoU’ between US and Iranian leaders

Iran and the United States recently agreed to a peace deal mediated by Pakistan, in which both sides declared an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. The two sides would hold talks for up to 60 days, with the possibility of extending negotiations if necessary due to the complexity of the issues involved.

The war, which triggered a global energy crisis, broke out after the United States and Israel carried out a series of attacks on Iran on February 28, resulting in the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the peace deal that ended the three-month conflict in the Gulf in the early hours of Monday in a post on X. He said the official signing ceremony for the deal would take place on June 19 in Switzerland.

US President Donald Trump also declared the end of the war in a post on Truth Social.

Pakistan’s leaders, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, have actively sought diplomatic engagement between the two sides since the start of the conflict. The first ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran in April was also achieved thanks to Pakistan’s efforts.

Trump has repeatedly appreciated Pakistan’s mediating role during the conflict, while world leaders have also praised Islamabad for facilitating diplomatic engagement between the two sides, which ultimately led to the peace deal.