Politics

Pakistan keeps chasing an elusive deal between the US and Iran

There are elements of a more permanent ceasefire agreement that Islamabad can control, contrive, or consult on, but others are beyond its grasp.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meets Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran on 23 May 2026.
WANA/Reuters
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meets Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran on 23 May 2026.

Pakistan keeps chasing an elusive deal between the US and Iran

Kamal Alam
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US President Donald Trump’s regular social media announcements hint at an imminent deal between the United States and Iran that would open the Strait of Hormuz, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio adding to the expectations with his comments while visiting India, but Iran has suggested that a deal is still some way off, leaving observers guessing.

In the background is Pakistan, where talks have been taking place. Islamabad has good relations with both Tehran and Washington and had offered to mediate. That has required a delicate balancing act to keep Iranian and American egos in check. It has also meant senior Pakistani officials meeting or speaking to their peers in Beijing, Riyadh, Doha, and Ankara. In many ways, it resembles a game of chess.

The content of the US-Iran deliberations has not been secret because the issues are publicly known. The main point of agreement for now seems to be that Iran will publicly renounce any attempts to get nuclear weapons, abandon enrichment, and open their nuclear sites for international inspection.

Takes some convincing

For decades, Iran has said it considers nuclear weapons to be ‘un-Islamic’ and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran will never pursue nuclear weapons and wants to assure the international community as such. Yet many, including Trump, will take some convincing. This makes verification an important subject for negotiators. Interestingly, even though Beijing is an Iranian ally, China and the United States are on the same page when it comes to Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

Reuters
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrives for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on 25 May 2026.

Pakistan’s prime minister and foreign minister have both visited China in recent weeks, while Field Marshal Asim Munir has been in Iran this week, but important players in the Gulf and wider Middle East are also being consulted. Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have borne the brunt of the fighting since 28 February and have been very clear that they need to be part of any final deal reached by Islamabad, where two Saudi ministers were present during the visit of US Vice President JD Vance.

Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have been very clear that they need to be part of any final deal reached by Islamabad

To an extent, Iran believes that it now has nothing to lose. It also believes that its control of the Strait of Hormuz gives it a significant bargaining chip. Pakistani officials have privately explained that a practical way of moving forward is to coordinate ships and transit Hormuz. Iran remains firm on its plan to charge a 'toll' for safe passage, a more realistic mechanism has already been tested by Pakistan.

Military options

During Munir's recent trips to Tehran, he has been accompanied by his Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Maj. Gen. Kashif Abdullah. The DGMO runs the armed forces on a day-to-day basis, emphasising the military nature of the US-Iran talks. Shipping lanes and military targets are two big discussion points, with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states seeking assurances.

Reuters
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing on 25 May 2026.

Other debates centre around the regional storage of Gulf crude oil reserves, to protect against any future Iranian blockades through the Strait of Hormuz, and ways to maintain open navigation. In both areas, Pakistan has offered to help, as has Oman.

Pakistan could store the crude, while Iranian oil could make its way to Pakistan and upwards through China via Baluchistan. Likewise, Pakistan's naval vessels have helped patrol the Arabia Sea in recent years and could turn their attention to the area of focus, where the sea meets Hormuz, and further down to the Indian Ocean. Once the US withdraws after a 60-day ceasefire period to reduce its forces, Pakistan would then ensure—along with the Gulf states—that the strait remains open. Third-country ships are already exiting with US permission and Pakistani coordination.

Political considerations

Iran will want something in return, which is where negotiators have been looking at sanctions, considering what (if any) funds to release and how. Trump has the US mid-term elections approaching and cannot be seen to settle for something his predecessor Barack Obama negotiated. Israel also has elections coming up and Netanyahu is worried that voters will wonder what has been gained from the exercise.

As the social media commentary comes thick and fast, and as jets touch down and take off, nothing yet seems final. The Pakistani military cannot deliver all aspects. US sanctions and the extent to which Israel agrees are beyond Islamabad's control. It is highly unlikely that Trump will want to return to hostilities in the run-up to November's elections, but Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu will feel no such restraint.

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