US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 19, 2026. PHOTO: Reuters
ISLAMABAD:
With the deadline set by US President Donald Trump fast approaching, Pakistan has mounted an unprecedented diplomatic push to salvage a last-minute deal between the US and Iran, even as officials concede the effort is hanging by a thread.
The past 48 hours have witnessed the most intense round of diplomacy since the outbreak of hostilities, with Islamabad working around the clock alongside other key players to prevent a further escalation of the conflict.
While no breakthrough has been announced, the flurry of engagements has at least ensured the exchange of proposals and counterproposals between Washington and Tehran through Pakistani intermediaries.
However, officials familiar with the backchannel contacts said the latest exchanges underscore the scale of differences that remain between the two sides, suggesting that bridging the gap may not be possible in the immediate term.
Significantly, the latest diplomatic push has also drawn in China and Russia, two close allies of Iran, into the evolving process.
Their involvement is seen as an attempt to address Tehran’s longstanding trust deficit with Washington and to lend greater credibility to any potential framework.
According to diplomatic sources, senior officials from all three major powers have been in close contact over the past two days. Media reports suggested that Pakistan’s military leadership engaged with top American officials, including US Vice President JD Vance and the Middle East envoy, as well as Iran’s foreign minister, in a bid to keep the dialogue alive.
Parallel to these efforts, Sergey Lavrov held a telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart, while Chinese and Russian foreign ministers also coordinated their positions amid the rapidly evolving situation.
Despite the high-level activity, there has been no detailed official readout from Islamabad. The Foreign Office has so far limited itself to a generic statement, confirming that diplomatic efforts are ongoing but refraining from commenting on specifics.
“There have been several reports of a 45-day ceasefire offer, or a 15-point exchange. We do not comment on these individual, specific incidents,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said when asked about the reported proposals.
The spokesperson’s remarks came in response to an international media report claiming that a framework aimed at ending hostilities had been shared with both Washington and Tehran. According to the report, which cited a source familiar with the development, the proposals were exchanged with the two sides overnight through Pakistani channels.
Separately, another report indicated that discussions were underway over a potential 45-day ceasefire as part of a phased approach that could eventually lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities.
However, officials cautioned that such ideas remain at a preliminary stage and have yet to gain formal acceptance.
Tehran, for its part, has signalled a cautious but firm stance. Iranian officials said they had conveyed their response to recent proposals via intermediary channels, outlining a set of conditions.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said negotiations could not proceed under pressure or threats. “Negotiations are incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes,” he stated, adding that earlier proposals including a reported 15-point framework were rejected for being “excessive”.
According to Iranian media, Tehran’s response consists of a detailed set of demands, including an end to hostilities across the region, guarantees for safe navigation through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction assistance, and lifting of sanctions.
Iran has also emphasised that any agreement must ensure a permanent end to the conflict rather than a temporary ceasefire, reflecting its deep scepticism of short-term arrangements.
The renewed diplomatic push comes against the backdrop of escalating hostilities that have raised alarm over the potential disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies.
The conflict has already injected volatility into international oil markets, with traders closely tracking developments that could affect the flow of crude through the narrow waterway.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has positioned itself as a key facilitator in the crisis, leveraging its longstanding ties with Washington as well as its working relationship with Tehran.
Officials say Islamabad’s role has been to maintain open lines of communication and to ensure that both sides continue to engage, even indirectly.
In a significant development, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently clarified that Tehran had never refused the option of talks in Islamabad, signalling openness to Pakistan’s offer to host negotiations.
Diplomatic observers believe Pakistan’s involvement has been instrumental in keeping the process alive at a time when direct contact between the United States and Iran remains limited.
Yet, despite the intense efforts, the prospects of an immediate breakthrough remain uncertain. With the deadline looming and positions still entrenched, much will depend on whether the latest exchanges can generate enough momentum to prevent a complete collapse of diplomacy.
