Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday Islamabad was prepared to host negotiations to stop the US-Israeli war with Iran, after mounting speculation it could act as a mediator.
"Pakistan welcomes and fully supports ongoing efforts to pursue dialogue to end the WAR in Middle East, in the interest of peace and stability in (the) region and beyond," he wrote on X.
"Subject to concurrence by the US and Iran, Pakistan stands ready and honoured to be the host to facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict."
Pakistan remains consistent with its longstanding policy and is committed to the resolution of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf through diplomatic means and engagement.
This was stated by Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi in a statement today.
He said diplomacy and negotiations often require that certain matters be advanced with discretion. He, therefore, urged the media to refrain from speculation and to await official announcements regarding decisions and outcomes.
Earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) urged the media to refrain from speculation about reports of Islamabad being a possible venue for talks between the US and Iranian representatives amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
“Pakistan, consistent with its longstanding policy, remains committed to the resolution of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East/Persian Gulf through diplomatic means and engagements,” FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said.
“Diplomacy and negotiations often require that certain matters be advanced with discretion. The media is therefore encouraged to refrain from speculation and to await official announcements regarding decisions and outcomes,” he said.
The FO spokesperson’s statement came after several international media outlets, including Reuters and Axios, suggested that Islamabad could serve as a venue for potential direct talks between US and Iranian representatives in the coming days.
The claim gained traction because of US President Donald Trump’s hint on Monday at discussions with Iran in the next few days. However, there has been no official confirmation from Pakistan, the US or Iran regarding any such arrangement.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has entered its fourth week, began with the US and Israel launching attacks on Iran on February 28. That day, the strikes also resulted in the assassination of then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Monday, Pakistan took centre stage in a coordinated diplomatic push alongside Turkiye and Egypt for de-escalation, as the trio appeared instrumental in securing a five-day pause of US plans to strike Iranian energy and power infrastructure, officials said, describing the effort as going beyond routine crisis management.