As the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran reached an agreement on a two-week ceasefire, world leaders warmly welcomed the long-awaited development, particularly praising Pakistan’s effective mediation, which helped avert a catastrophic escalation in the region.
During the US-Iran war, Pakistan emerged as a key diplomatic player as the country avoided taking sides, having condemned the US and Israel attacks on Iran and on the friendly Gulf countries by Iran. Pakistan also hosted the quadrilateral talks in Islamabad and announced a seven-point peace plan, which followed an almost identical five-point plan in Beijing.
On Tuesday night, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earnestly requested the US to extend its deadline for the bombing of Iran for two weeks, and also requested Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for the corresponding period as a goodwill gesture.
As the world acknowledged Pakistan’s crucial mediatory role in de-escalation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s request to the conflicting countries became the centre of international focus just before President Trump’s deadline expired, who also renewed his threat that “a whole civilisation will die tonight.”
