Iran-US ceasefire a diplomatic success, says ex-Pakistan FM Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari

KARACHI: Former Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has described the Iran-US ceasefire and its extension as a major diplomatic success, saying Pakistan’s mediation helped create the conditions for dialogue at a critical moment for regional and global stability.

Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Bhutto-Zardari said Pakistan’s recent diplomatic engagement played a key role in helping secure a ceasefire between Iran and the United States and later its extension, paving the way for negotiations after weeks of conflict that rattled regional security and global energy markets.

“The fact that you established a ceasefire, that’s a success. The fact that you extended the ceasefire, these are massive successes,” Bhutto-Zardari said. “It means the difference between the world being at war or not.”

Bhutto-Zardari said the conflict, now in its eighth week, has carried consequences far beyond the immediate region, with strikes inside Iran, wider instability across the Middle East and disruptions in energy markets driving up fuel prices and worsening inflationary pressures worldwide.

He argued that the economic burden of the conflict is being felt globally, not just by the countries directly involved.

“Every single one of us are paying the price of this conflict at the petrol pumps, at the grocery store, every single day,” he said, adding that unresolved issues continue to weigh on the global economy despite the ceasefire.

The former foreign minister stressed that Pakistan’s role should not be viewed as a standalone national achievement but as part of a broader international effort to restore stability.

“It’s not a Pakistani victory… it is a victory for the international community,” he said, adding that preserving the ceasefire and building toward a sustainable peace remained in the collective interest of all nations.

Defending diplomacy as a long-term process, Bhutto-Zardari rejected expectations of immediate breakthroughs.

“This diplomacy is a process. It’s not a cricket match that you either win or lose,” he said, citing the years-long negotiations that culminated in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as evidence that meaningful diplomatic progress requires patience and persistence.