Ask Onix
Ceasefire announced after urgent Pakistan-mediated talks
Islamabad secured a two-week pause in hostilities between Iran and the United States early Wednesday, following days of high-stakes diplomacy conducted in strict secrecy. The breakthrough came hours before a looming deadline, with Pakistan acting as the sole intermediary.
Behind the scenes: A small circle and fading optimism
A Pakistani official familiar with the negotiations told the BBC that discussions had proceeded "at pace," though the team handling the talks was limited to "a very small circle." The source described the atmosphere as "sombre and serious but still hopeful" in the final hours before the agreement. The official was not part of the core negotiating group.
Pakistan's role as go-between followed weeks of shuttle diplomacy, leveraging its long-standing ties with Iran-including a shared border and frequent references to a "brotherly" relationship-and its rapport with Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously called Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, his "favorite" field marshal and claimed Munir understood Iran "better than most."
Setbacks and sharp words
Confidence in a deal had eroded earlier in the week. On Tuesday night, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament that optimism had been high "until yesterday," when Israel struck Iran and Tehran retaliated against Saudi Arabia. Dar acknowledged Pakistan was "still trying to manage things as much as possible."
Field Marshal Munir was blunter. Addressing military leaders the same day, he condemned the attack on Saudi Arabia as an act that "spoils sincere efforts to resolve the conflict through peaceful means." Analysts noted this was among the strongest language Pakistan had used against Iran since the crisis began.
Saudi Arabia, which has a defense pact with Pakistan, has not invoked the agreement despite repeated strikes. Observers suggested Pakistan's criticism may have increased pressure on Tehran.
Late-night breakthrough
After midnight in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X that "diplomatic efforts... are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in the near future." He urged President Trump to extend a deadline by two weeks and called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the same period.
Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, signaled progress at 03:00 local time (midnight BST), writing on X that the situation had moved "a step forward from [a] critical, sensitive stage."
At 04:50, Sharif announced a ceasefire had been reached and invited both sides to Islamabad on Friday, April 10, to "further negotiate for a conclusive agreement."
Fragile trust and entrenched positions
The Pakistani source cautioned that the truce remained precarious. "We are still being very circumspect," the official said, citing "continued fragility" and a lack of trust between Washington and Tehran. Both sides, the source added, hold "strongly entrenched positions."
While Pakistan's hosting of talks marks a diplomatic coup, the core challenge remains: identifying common ground amid deep-seated grievances.
