Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated on Thursday that the country's role in defusing the US-Iran conflict has transformed its international standing. He argued that Islamabad is now regarded as a "middle power and net security provider" and should next aim to become an economic power.
Pakistan's Role in US-Iran Talks
Dar's remarks follow Pakistan's facilitation of diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran after the recent conflict. This led to the first high-level direct talks between the two sides in over four decades in April, along with an agreement on a framework for future negotiations. The US and Iran are currently holding technical-level talks in Switzerland, with Pakistani and Qatari officials facilitating the process as they build on the framework agreement signed earlier this month.
Impact of the Conflict
The conflict was triggered by joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. It rattled global energy markets after Tehran closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass. The move heightened fears of a wider regional war as Iran retaliated against US military bases and other targets in the Gulf. Pakistan publicly condemned the initial attack on Iran, urged restraint on all sides, and later helped facilitate a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Dar's Remarks on Pakistan's Standing
"Pakistan was isolated for several years," Dar said during a televised media interaction in Lahore. "Compare the number of countries that engaged with Pakistan two or three years ago with the situation today."
"Pakistan's image has improved considerably," he added. "We are already a nuclear and missile power. Now our goal is to become an economic power."
Mediation Efforts
Dar said Pakistan was viewed internationally "as a peacemaker, a middle power and a net security provider," crediting Islamabad's sustained diplomatic efforts in recent months. He maintained that much of Pakistan's international engagements had been deliberately kept out of public view because mediators must preserve the confidence of both parties. "We acted only as an honest facilitator," he said, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the Foreign Office had engaged in extensive shuttle diplomacy and back-channel contacts throughout the process.
Collective Effort
Dar also acknowledged the roles played by Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, and Egypt, describing the diplomatic outcome as the product of a collective effort.
