Pakistan, along with Türkiye and Egypt, is mediating between the United States and Iran to stop the war. However, analysts see these efforts with skepticism due to the past record.
Abbas Hashemite
This demonstrates that the Iranian leadership is not ready to show any weakness or surrender in front of the US or Israel. In addition, this reaction by the Iranian side also reflects the deep resentment and mistrust among Iranian officials regarding peace negotiations with the United States. The United States has repeatedly dodged Iran through peace talks. In the past two years, it has attacked Tehran twice during ongoing negotiations. In June 2025, Israel attacked Iran during ongoing peace talks between the United States and Iran. Washington also joined Israel’s military operations in Iran and bombed its nuclear facilities at the behest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The rising global inflation and increasing global energy crisis have pushed these powers to mediate between Iran and the United States. Pakistan is one of the most affected countries due to this war
Escalation and Strategic Fallout in the Middle East
On February 28, 2026, the United States once again attacked Iran during peace talks with the country. These negotiations were brokered by Oman. Delegations from both sides met in Muscat, Oman, to discuss bilateral issues, especially Iran’s nuclear program. According to the Omani representative, both sides made positive developments in the last session. However, soon after the session was over, the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rushed to Washington. Apparently, he sought to restrain US President Donald Trump from signing a peace deal with Iran. Moreover, he also sought to include the Iranian missile program in the framework of these peace talks. However, it appears his real agenda was to exert pressure on President Trump to attack Iran.
Soon after his visit to Washington, the United States and Israel conducted a combined operation in Iran on February 28, 2026. The US and Israeli attacks targeted key military, civilian, and government sites and infrastructure in the country, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. This sudden attack by the United States is seen throughout the world, especially in Iran, as a violation of international norms. This attack also inculcated mistrust in the Iranian officials regarding the Trump administration’s morality and honesty, making future peace negotiations an uphill task.
Since then, Iran has been attacking Israel and key US military interests throughout the Middle Eastern region. Iran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of global oil exports pass. This, coupled with Iran’s attacks on energy facilities of different GCC countries, has sent global oil prices above $100 per barrel, triggering inflation and oil shortages around the world. Iran’s strong response and its resistance against two great military powers of the world have also shattered the image of the US and Israel’s military and technology. Iranian missiles have hit several key cities and infrastructure in Israel.
Regional Mediation and the Uncertain Path to Peace
President Trump’s repeated warnings and his fake news about ongoing peace negotiations with Iran, amidst his plan to deploy 2000 to 3000 82nd airborne troops in the Middle East, show his growing frustration over the situation. Indeed, backdoor diplomacy through Pakistan is continuing between the two sides. However, Iran rejects the claims of any direct contact between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan shared a 15-point proposal by the United States for a one-month ceasefire with Iran. As per reports, Iran rejected the proposal, describing it as “extremely maximalist and unreasonable.”
Despite this stalemate, many regional countries, especially Pakistan, Türkiye, and Egypt, are mediating between the two sides to end this war. The rising global inflation and increasing global energy crisis have pushed these powers to mediate between Iran and the United States. Pakistan is one of the most affected countries due to this war. Moreover, it has a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia, another major victim of this war. Therefore, Pakistan is playing a pivotal role in ending this war through peace negotiations. Since the 12-day war with India, Pakistan has emerged as a key regional power. It enjoys cordial relations with the Trump administration. Pakistan also has strong bilateral relations with Iran. This provides it with significant leverage to mediate between the two countries.
However, the world is skeptical of the real US intentions behind these negotiations and the ceasefire proposal. The US might use the ceasefire to deploy its troops in the Middle East and prepare them for a ground invasion of Iran. Moreover, the US and Israeli operations have made it impossible for Iran to compromise on its nuclear and missile programs. The mistrust between the two sides due to the United States’ history of betrayal and its violations of international rules and norms leaves little room for peace and negotiations between the two sides. If the US is serious in its efforts to establish a ceasefire in the region, the Trump administration needs to stop threatening Iran.
Аbbas Hashemite is a political observer and research analyst for regional and global geopolitical issues. He is currently working as an independent researcher and journalist
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