Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi's social media post confirming the two-week ceasefire in the Middle East began by expressing "gratitude and appreciation" for "my dear brothers," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, "for their tireless efforts to end the war in the region." US President Donald Trump shared Araghchi's note on Truth Social, implying Washington's support for Islamabad's engagement in the peace talks.
Soon after, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a post on X, "With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY."

"I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and extend deepest gratitude to the leadership of both the countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes," he said. "We earnestly hope, that the 'Islamabad Talks' succeed in achieving sustainable peace and wish to share more good news in coming days," Sharif stated.
According to CBS News, President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pakistan's Field Marshal Munir before agreeing to the two-week truce. According to reports, Field Marshal Munir communicated "all night long" with US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi.

A social media blunder tainted Islamabad's diplomatic triumph. Sharif's previous tweet, in which he asked Trump for an extension to his deadline to allow diplomacy to take its course, was accidentally posted with the following sentence at the top: "Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X." It was erased in a subsequent update, but screenshots of the edit history surfaced, implying that the Pakistani Prime Minister "cut and pasted" a message from the White House.
Pakistan’s Diplomatic Push
Hours before the ceasefire, Trump stated that "a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again." How did Washington and Tehran come to an agreement on the ceasefire? The solution depends in skilful diplomacy guided by US Vice President JD Vance.Since late March, Islamabad has worked to bring peace to the Gulf. On March 29, it gathered foreign ministers from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to explore ways to end the Middle East conflict.
As the war stretched on, Pakistan emerged as a major mediator in backchannel negotiations as both Washington and Tehran sought an exit strategy. Pakistan sent the US's 15-point plan to Iran and then relayed Iran's comments back to Washington.Why the US and Iran trust Islamabad
For a country to serve as a mediator in a conflict, both parties must trust it. Iran no longer trusts its Arab neighbours due to their close connections with the United States. In response to the US-Israel bombings, Tehran blasted the Gulf nations. Pakistan shares a border with Iran, and the two nations have a close diplomatic relationship, as evidenced by Araghchi's reference to Sharif and Munir as "dear brothers". Furthermore, Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Israel because to the Palestine problem, which is another reason Tehran might trust it.

The United States' connections with Pakistan have strengthened since last year. Islamabad has also joined Trump's Board of Peace, which seeks to maintain peace in Gaza. Trump has already referred to Pakistani Army Chief Munir as his "favourite Field Marshal". Munir, according to reports, has significant links in the US and Iranian defence establishments, providing Pakistan an advantage in such negotiations.
Furthermore, Pakistan has strong links with other Gulf countries, allowing it to bring everyone along to find a solution to the crisis.
Why Pakistan Needed a Ceasefire
Pakistan's drive for a ceasefire is motivated by practical factors rather than a desire to play a larger geopolitical role.The majority of Pakistan's oil comes from the Middle East, and many Pakistanis work there and bring remittances back home. The region's tensions and Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz pushed world gasoline prices higher, causing Pakistan to raise prices and putting pressure on the Shehbaz Sharif government.
And this is taking place against the backdrop of Pakistan's ongoing financial difficulties and its own conflict with neighbouring Afghanistan. Pakistan's relations with India are already strained, and instability in another neighbouring country, Iran, is not in its interests.
There are also concerns about domestic stability. The execution of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israel offensive sparked widespread riots in Pakistan, resulting in multiple deaths.

Pakistan's own interests in a truce also helped it gain both parties' trust as a mediator. And China's strong support strengthened its legitimacy.
Why Pakistan Should Not Celebrate Yet
The ceasefire between the United States and Iran is shaky at best, and the following days will reveal how Washington and Tehran move the discussions ahead. So, while Pakistan may gain diplomatic points by acting as a mediator, the collapse of this truce will seriously undermine its credibility. Furthermore, one of the two parties -- the United States and Iran -- may then accuse Islamabad, even if it is not responsible.

A collapse of the truce and a deterioration in relations with the US would be a major blow for Islamabad, which has worked hard to improve its relationship with Washington and Trump.
Most crucially, Pakistan lacks the geopolitical muscle to enforce the truce it brokered. And if combat resumes, Pakistan will be in a Catch-22 situation. If it is perceived to be tilting towards the United States, it will confront domestic instability and pushback. And if it backs Iran, it risks alienating Washington and its Gulf allies.