Strategic chessboard of peace negotiations |
TODAY is a “vital” day for Pakistan and the biggest “diplomatic adventure” of the “21st century” because of the beginning of direct peace negotiations between the US and Iran, mediated by Pakistan in Islamabad. At last, political “sanity” has prevailed and “rhetoric” has diminished and both parties have shown a “big heart” and are ready to give a chance to dialogue, diplomacy and sustainable development in the region. The US secret mission, Marines, its Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, as well as Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have landed in Islamabad for today’s negotiations.
It is the first giant step towards narrowing the widening gap between the conflict parties, convincing these forces towards normalcy, peace and stability. Additionally, China and Russia’s positive role in behind-the-scenes political and diplomatic consultations has played an important part, which has become a value addition and acts as a regional equalizer to bring peace and stability in the ongoing war between the US-Israel alliance and Iran. According to international media, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi continuously engaged with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and achieved a major diplomatic success of the 21st century, clearly demonstrating the strategic importance of our iron-clad brotherhood.
Moreover, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has considered Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in brokering the US-Iran ceasefire as highly positive and responsible, which is commendable, vividly reflecting greater regional support and recognition of Pakistan as a peace broker. The two-week truce announced earlier this week halted direct hostilities that erupted on February 28 following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
Evidently, Pakistan leveraged its unique position by representing Iranian interests in Washington while maintaining close ties with the United States to facilitate back-channel communications. Reliable diplomatic sources confirmed that Pakistan conveyed multiple proposals, including a US 15-point plan and elements of Iran’s 10-point framework, during intense Track II diplomacy. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Malaysia, Italy, France, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, among others, supported Pakistan’s efforts, with their foreign ministries praising the productive role of the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff in securing the agreement and opening a window of opportunity for the Middle East, South Asia, Africa and Central Asia alike.
The ongoing conflict had raised fears of a wider war, with the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting 20 percent of global oil trade. Oil prices surged over 15 percent in the initial weeks of escalation before easing slightly following ceasefire news. Pakistan’s mediation prevented such escalation, positioning the country as a credible neutral facilitator where direct US-Iran contacts remain absent. Interestingly, Pakistan has once again emerged as a key supporter of today’s peace negotiations, preventing a dangerous escalation between Iran and Israel.
Israeli forces issued sweeping evacuation orders across much of southern Beirut’s suburbs late on Wednesday, targeting densely populated areas including Bourj el-Barajneh, Haret Hreik and Chiyah. Following Pakistan’s diplomatic persuasion, these measures were reportedly reconsidered. Undoubtedly, the Government of Pakistan, headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, played an important role and successfully averted the imminent so-called complete “civilization elimination” that US President Trump warned against Iran in his most recent address to the nation, highlighting the threat of total destruction in the Middle East and Gulf.
Additionally, Field Marshal Munir “personally” talked to US President Trump and thoroughly discussed all aspects of the ongoing war in the Middle East, rightly suggesting giving time to dialogue and diplomacy, for which the two conflicting parties, i.e., the US and Iran, are meeting in Islamabad today. Field Marshal Munir has emerged as a new “icon” of Track II diplomacy, starting a new chapter in the modern diplomatic history of Pakistan and elevating its positive, productive, participatory and pragmatic foreign policy in the region. It is a great setback to Indian hegemonic designs and expansionist strategies in South Asia, the Middle East, the GCC and Central Asia. Pakistan has now been dubbed a new regional leader in constructive diplomacy, collaborative coordination and consultative political engagement to achieve the desired truce for maintaining greater peace, stability and harmony in the region and beyond.
It is a good omen that all regional countries are extending their political, moral and diplomatic support to Pakistan’s tireless efforts to bring a sustainable ceasefire in the ongoing war. Moreover, messages from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have further strengthened Pakistan’s resolve to achieve substantial breakthroughs, multiplying socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic dividends for all, because peace and stability are valuable commodities in the modern world of geo-economics. Thus, the support of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is timely, productive, constructive and positive, vividly reflecting regional consolidation and the collective wisdom of peaceful conflict resolution while steering the region towards greater integration and prosperity.
It also highlights regional and Global South rational thinking, diplomatic maneuvering and effective signaling towards greater trans-regional connectivity and political understanding. Thus, regional support for Pakistan is gaining momentum, countering India’s designs and challenging its so-called military projections. In summary, today’s peace negotiations may guide the conflicting countries in the Middle East and Gulf towards greater normalcy, opening a window of opportunity for smooth energy supplies through an unblocked Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, sustainable development of blue economies and stability in regional and international commodity and food markets, alongside uninterrupted gas supplies, financial flows and restoration of real estate markets. Additionally, it will positively impact regional and global geo-economics and transport-logistics projects, including Gwadar, Bandar Abbas seaport, the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan trilateral rail project and the North-South Corridor connecting Central and South Asia.
—The writer is President, the Centre for Knowledge and Public Policy, Regional Expert: China, CPEC, BRI & World Affairs.