Tension with Afghanistan, yet will Pakistan become ‘peace messenger’ between America and Iran? Trump shared Shahbaz’s post

New Delhi: A new ‘diplomatic drama’ is being seen amid the ongoing tension in the Middle East. Pakistan is now presenting itself as a mediator in the ongoing conflict between big countries like America and Iran. But the question is whether Pakistan will really be able to establish peace or is it just an attempt to show itself on the international stage?

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement on social media that his country would feel ‘ready and honored’ to host talks between the US and Iran. This proposal sounds quite big, but the reality is that Pakistan itself is struggling with many internal and external problems.

Especially, when US President Donald Trump shared Sharif’s post, the issue gained further prominence. It seemed as if Pakistan had suddenly come to the center of world politics. But does a country become a major diplomatic power just because a post is shared? This question still remains.

Tension in one’s own home, yet desire to become a ‘mediator’

The most interesting thing is that Pakistan itself is embroiled in tension with its neighbor Afghanistan. The recent air strikes and increasing conflicts indicate that it has not been able to maintain stability in its own region.
In such a situation, its attempt to resolve a complex dispute like America and Iran certainly seems a bit strange.

Iran showed cold attitude

On one hand America is talking about talks, while on the other hand Iran has clearly rejected any such claim. Tehran says that no formal talks are going on nor are they going to start any time. That means Iran does not seem particularly excited about Pakistan’s initiative.

Iran has also made it clear that it will not participate in any talks without conditions. Its demand is that first relief should be given in the sanctions, compensation for the loss and guarantee against any kind of intervention in future. Unless these conditions are met, any progress is difficult.

diplomacy going on behind the scenes

However, it is also true that Pakistan is not alone. Countries like Egypt and Türkiye are also trying to resolve this issue through backchannel. It is possible that there may be a meeting in Islamabad, but right now it is limited to possibilities only.

It has been said in some reports that different methods can be adopted for negotiations. In one, there can be a direct meeting of officials, while in the other, the option of talks between big leaders has been kept. But all this is still limited to papers and discussions.