By Asghar Ali Mubarak
Islamabad hums with quiet anticipation tonight, April 24, 2026, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi touches down with a lean delegation, heralding the second round of Pakistan-mediated talks aimed at thawing the icy deadlock between Tehran and Washington. It’s a high-wire act for a nation long sidelined in great-power games, positioning itself as the unlikely bridge over a chasm widened by decades of enmity, proxy wars, and nuclear brinkmanship. After the first round in early April fizzled without breakthroughs—US Vice President JD Vance departing Nur Khan Air Base with a curt “final offer” after 21 gruelling hours—these fresh talks carry the weight of fragile hope. The ceasefire in the Middle East, patchy at best, hangs in the balance, with the Strait of Hormuz a powder keg where Iranian mines and US naval might eye each other warily.
Pakistan’s starring role feels improbable yet earned. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir have labored for weeks, shuttling calls and quiet assurances. Araqchi’s arrival follows his predecessor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf’s visit on April 11, and comes after phone huddles with Dar and Munir. No official fanfare from Islamabad yet, but sources whisper of Iran’s nod as a triumph of persistent diplomacy. The US, shrouded in mystery until now, readies its heavyweights: Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, their advance teams already scouting secure venues. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social salvos—boasting US control of Hormuz and dangled carrots like restored ties—underscore the stakes.
Success could unlock sanctions relief, revive the dormant Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline, and steady Islamabad’s economy. Failure? Escalation, with Trump threatening bombardments if no deal materializes. The agenda bristles with thorns. Iran’s 10-point peace plan clashes against US red lines: total dismantlement of Tehran’s nuclear program, versus limited sanctions timeouts; handover of 400kg of enriched uranium, flatly rejected by Iran; Hormuz shipping curbs tied to port blockades; $20 billion in frozen assets; and a staggering $270 billion war reparations demand for US-Israeli strikes. Qalibaf’s post-first-round X post captured Tehran’s wariness: no talks “under the shadow of threats,” born of two wars’ scars. Vance, leaving empty-handed, praised Pakistan’s hosting but lamented Iran’s inflexibility, hinting at flexibility on some fronts while hardening on nukes.
Iranian spokesman Esmail Baqai framed it diplomatically—progress on many points, snags on a few—insisting diplomacy endures. Dar, ever the optimist, hailed “difficult and constructive” sessions, urging ceasefire fidelity. This is not just shuttle diplomacy; it’s Pakistan rewriting its script. Long a pawn in superpower rivalries—caught between US drones and Chinese loans—Islamabad now leverages military heft and neutral ground. Munir’s “best military diplomacy,” as analyst Asghar Ali Mubarak terms it, elevates Pakistan’s global stature. Sharif’s pleas for a two-week Hormuz reprieve and Trump’s tactical pauses signal grudging respect. Iran’s ambassador Reza Amiri Moqadam nods to “positive good faith,” while Israel’s statement backs US aims to neuter Iran’s nuclear, missile, and terror threats.
Trump even floats Iran’s plan as a “workable basis,” a rare concession amid boasts of victory. Yet trust is the ghost at the feast. The first round exposed fractures: US claims of Hormuz dominance, Iranian hardliner-moderate tussles, Trump’s internal Iran chaos narrative. Baqai’s realism rings true—no one expected miracles in one go. Vance’s tease of a “simple proposal” lingers, awaiting Tehran’s riposte. Broader shadows loom: Gaza’s embers, Yemen’s proxies, Saudi-Iran rivalries. A deal here could cascade, sustaining the ceasefire, freeing assets, reopening trade lifelines. For Pakistan, it means gas flows quenching energy thirst, jobs in Balochistan, a diplomatic feather boosting Sharif’s wobbly coalition.
Sceptics abound. Trump’s bombast—military objectives met, hardliners reeling—smacks of leverage plays. Iran’s defiance, rooted in “Forty-Day War” pride, risks overreach. Without concessions, Vance’s delegation might echo his April exit: good news in talking, bad in impasse. However, momentum builds. Araqchi’s landing, US teams in place, Pakistan’s facilitation—it’s a second chance. In this cauldron, Pakistan’s mediators embody quiet resolve. Dar’s mantra—continuous talks for regional peace—echoes Sharif’s vision of diplomacy trumping hostilities. Munir’s steel hand guides the process, earning global nods. The world watches: can Islamabad midwife a pact averting wider war? History, from Camp David to Oslo, teaches that breakthroughs hide in marathons of mistrust. Tonight, as Araqchi settles in, the city holds its breath. A sustainable Middle East peace might just flicker to life here, proving small nations can sway giants.
(The writer is a senior journalist covering various beats, can be reached at editorial@metro-morning.com)
