Inside Pakistan's 110-day diplomatic push to end the US-Iran war

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding had been signed by US President Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and himself, bringing to an end a conflict between Washington and Tehran that began on Feb. 28 and threatened to engulf the wider Middle East.

The signing capped a diplomatic effort that stretched across regional and global capitals, transforming Islamabad from an observer of the crisis into a principal mediator between the two adversaries.

While military exchanges, maritime disruptions and regional instability dominated headlines throughout the conflict, Pakistan maintained continuous engagement with Washington, Tehran and key international stakeholders in an effort to preserve dialogue and prevent a broader war.

How did it start?

The crisis erupted on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering a rapid escalation across the region.

The violence immediately threatened key trade routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, which was closed within the first 48 hours of the conflict, sending shockwaves through global energy markets and raising fears of wider instability.

As the conflict dragged on, a parallel front emerged in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified from April 8, further complicating efforts to secure a diplomatic resolution.

Pakistan's early diplomatic outreach

Pakistan moved quickly to launch a diplomatic campaign to contain the conflict, with both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reaching out to regional and international partners.

Within the first 10 days of the conflict, Dar engaged with 14 countries, including Iran, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Bahrain, China, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Türkiye, Canada and Malaysia. 

He also held consultations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, the European Union and the Commonwealth.

At the same time, Sharif contacted more than 10 world leaders within the first week of the conflict, urging restraint and calling for diplomacy between the warring parties.

As the crisis deepened, Pakistan expanded its diplomatic outreach. Before a ceasefire was secured on April 8, PM Sharif had held 37 bilateral conversations with world leaders and senior officials, while Dar engaged with 81 regional and international counterparts, including seven direct contacts with the Iranian leadership.

The Islamabad Talks

Following the ceasefire, the United States and Iran met for the first time since the outbreak of hostilities in what became known as the "Islamabad Talks," a breakthrough made possible by Pakistan's diplomatic efforts.

The talks, however, did not immediately produce a peace agreement. After 21 hours of discussions in Islamabad, negotiators left without a final settlement.

Although the meeting ended without an immediate breakthrough, Pakistani officials viewed it as an important first step toward sustained engagement. The ceasefire itself remained fragile, having initially been agreed for only two weeks.

On April 22, as concerns mounted that the ceasefire could collapse, PM Sharif reached out to Trump after the US president had earlier warned of potentially catastrophic consequences if hostilities resumed.

During that two-week period alone, Sharif and Dar held more than 45 conversations with regional and international partners aimed at preserving the ceasefire and maintaining diplomatic momentum.

The effort helped secure an extension of the truce, while Pakistan continued to advocate for a broader agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Continued diplomacy

With both sides engaged in dialogue, attention shifted toward finding common ground on a lasting settlement.

That process proved difficult. From April 22 until the announcement of the agreement early on Thursday, Dar engaged with more than 45 leaders and senior officials on developments in the region, consistently advocating for durable peace and long-term stability.

During the same period, PM Sharif discussed the conflict with more than 10 counterparts as Islamabad worked to keep negotiations on track.

The diplomatic effort went beyond telephone diplomacy. PM Sharif, FM Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir undertook multiple engagements across the region, meeting key stakeholders and reinforcing support for the peace process.

Those efforts culminated on June 18 with the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, an agreement that Pakistan says reflects the success of sustained diplomacy, dialogue and regional cooperation.

The accord concludes 110 days of conflict that tested regional stability, disrupted global trade routes and raised fears of a wider Middle East war. 

While the agreement was ultimately negotiated by Washington and Tehran, Pakistan's role in maintaining channels of communication throughout the crisis helped create the conditions that made the deal possible.