Pakistan hosts de-escalation talks
Regional ministers meet to ease Iran tensions
Pakistan hosted foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia in Islamabad for talks aimed at de‑escalating tensions as the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran continues. Egypt’s Badr Abdelatty, Turkey’s Hakan Fidan and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar after Dar held separate bilateral meetings with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts. The talks followed a conversation between Pakistan’s prime minister and Iran’s president and underscored Islamabad’s role as a possible intermediary between Washington and Tehran.
Delegations focused on measures to reduce hostilities, protect critical shipping routes and safeguard energy supplies, while exploring confidence‑building steps and communication channels to avert wider conflict. Officials described the consultations as constructive, with participants conveying a shared interest in restraint and continued diplomacy, though no formal accords were announced.
Alongside the diplomatic meetings, military‑level contacts are ongoing: Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir has been in regular contact with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, a source said. The diplomatic push comes after the United States reportedly presented Iran with a 15‑point ceasefire proposal that included reopening a strategic waterway and limiting elements of Iran’s nuclear program; Tehran rejected that list and put forward counterproposals.
Analysts and regional observers view the gathering as a sign of mounting urgency among influential states to contain a crisis that risks disrupting global security and energy markets. The involvement of multiple regional powers signals coordinated attempts to prevent escalation and preserve trade flows through vital maritime corridors. Delegations indicated further consultations are likely as diplomatic efforts continue to address the evolving situation in the Persian Gulf.
