After Hormuz, Pakistan turns to diplomacy between the United States and Iran

Pakistan, acting as a mediator, is turning to diplomacy and hopes that the United States and Iran will return to the negotiating table following an agreement on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Thursday, Pakistan expressed, in a statement issued by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its hope that the agreement concerning the Strait of Hormuz would pave the way for renewed talks between Washington and Tehran, within the framework of a memorandum of understanding that Islamabad helped broker.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters, “We hope that the agreement regarding the strait will pave the way for continued dialogue, particularly the resumption of technical-level talks between Iran and the United States.”

On Wednesday, Iran announced that it had reached an agreement with the Sultanate of Oman on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that is vital to global energy supplies and lies at the center of tensions with the United States.

On several occasions, U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Tehran is seeking an agreement that would reopen the strait to maritime traffic.

Last Tuesday, Trump stressed that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen “very soon”; otherwise, Iran would be struck “forcefully.” He also expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached by Thursday.

The day before, the American president said that he had agreed to resume negotiations with Iran “at the request” of Gulf allies and other countries, describing the initiative as the “last opportunity” for Iranian officials to reach an agreement.