Islamabad steps up diplomatic role as Dar meets American envoy over US-Iran engagement
FM Ishaq Dar told US envoy Natalie Baker that Pakistan had passed Iran’s counter-proposal to Washington, as Trump rejected the offer and oil prices climbed
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar met U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker in Islamabad on Monday, saying Pakistan had played a “constructive diplomatic role” in facilitating communication between Washington and Tehran. The meeting followed Iran’s confirmation that it had sent a counter-proposal to the United States through Pakistani mediators.
Islamabad acted as a back-channel intermediary, relaying Tehran’s proposal to Washington in an effort to support regional de-escalation and stability. Dar also highlighted cooperation with the U.S. in facilitating the repatriation of stranded Pakistani and Iranian seafarers through Singapore.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s proposal called for an end to regional fighting, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. According to Iranian state media and reports by The Wall Street Journal, the proposal also included steps related to Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the security of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump rejected the proposal on Truth Social, calling it “totally unacceptable.” The diplomatic deadlock added to market concerns, with global oil prices rising sharply amid tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded defiantly, saying negotiations would not amount to surrender, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rejected what it described as U.S. ultimatums disguised as diplomacy.