A renewed push for a peace agreement involving Pakistan and Gulf states is under way to prevent the fragile cease-fire between Iran and the United States from collapsing, as mediators race to bridge major differences over sanctions, uranium enrichment, and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest round of diplomacy stretched from Tehran to Beijing and a NATO meeting in Sweden, reflecting growing concern among regional and international powers that another round of fighting could trigger a broader crisis.
At the center of the mediation effort is Pakistan, which has emerged as a key intermediary between Tehran and Washington because of its working ties with both governments. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in China on May 23 for a multiday visit expected to include discussions on the Iran conflict with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while Pakistani army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, traveled to Tehran on May 22 for talks with senior Iranian officials.
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PM Sharif In China As Pakistan Steps Up Iran Mediation EffortsIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he met with Munir and discussed diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing renewed escalation and advancing negotiations to end the conflict. Munir’s visit, his second since the war began in late February, followed several days of meetings in Tehran by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Araqchi has also held calls in recent days with counterparts from Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, and Oman, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The talks come after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on May 22 that “slight progress” had been made in indirect negotiations with Iran, while cautioning against overstating any breakthrough.
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Senior UAE Official To RFE/RL: Restart Of Iran War Would Be 'Catastrophic'“I don’t want to exaggerate it,” Rubio said ahead of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden. “There’s been a little bit of movement and that’s good.”
The latest push follows weeks of shifting signals from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran while also backing away from strikes to allow negotiations to continue. Trump said this week he halted planned attacks at the request of Middle Eastern allies.
Pakistan Emerges As Key Intermediary
Pakistan’s role in the talks has drawn increasing attention as Islamabad seeks to raise its diplomatic profile while maintaining ties with both Tehran and Washington.
Munir’s visit to Tehran is widely being viewed as a sign negotiations remain active despite continued divisions between the two sides.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, who has also been appointed spokesman for Tehran’s negotiating team, said on May 22 that some progress had been made but warned that major gaps remained.
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Iran Talks See 'Slight Progress,' Says Rubio, Warns Against Toll For Hormuz StraitIran has pushed for a phased approach that would first guarantee an end to hostilities and sanctions relief before broader nuclear negotiations proceed. The United States has favored a more comprehensive package deal negotiated simultaneously.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to those talks.
Iran has effectively restricted commercial traffic through the strategic waterway, a critical transit route for oil, liquefied natural gas, and other commodities. The disruption has rattled energy markets and intensified pressure from countries dependent on Gulf shipping routes.
US Central Command said this week that American forces have redirected dozens of commercial vessels and disabled several others linked to Iranian shipping operations since mid-April.
NATO Talks Highlight Global Stakes
The conflict and its impact on global trade also featured prominently at a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting that concluded May 22 in Sweden.
While the alliance focused primarily on defense spending and industrial capacity ahead of a July summit in Ankara, officials also discussed contingency planning for securing shipping routes around the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict ends.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte accused Iran of attempting to “hold the global economy hostage” through the disruption of maritime traffic and said allies were discussing measures to protect regional transit routes.
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Defying The US, Iran Is Cementing Its Control Over The Strait Of HormuzThe crisis has also exposed tensions between Washington and some European allies.
Rubio said NATO members broadly agreed Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons, but criticized some allies for failing to fully support US operations linked to the conflict.
He specifically criticized Spain for refusing to grant US forces access to military bases for operations connected to the Iran crisis.
Despite the growing diplomatic activity, officials and analysts caution that the negotiations remain highly fragile.