“I… extend my deepest gratitude to the leadership of both countries and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday, 10th April 2026, to continue negotiations toward a conclusive agreement resolving all disputes,” he stated in a post on X.
Pakistan, which has maintained a close relationship with President Donald Trump and is highly attuned to developments in neighbouring Iran, has recently emerged as a key channel for communication between Tehran and Washington.
“We earnestly hope the ‘Islamabad Talks’ succeed in achieving lasting peace and look forward to sharing more positive updates in the coming days,” Sharif added.
Tehran and Washington had agreed to a two-week ceasefire just an hour before President Trump’s deadline to strike Iran, which included the threat to destroy all power plants and bridges, was set to expire.
The conflict began after Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, killing its supreme leader on February 28. This prompted retaliatory attacks from Tehran on Gulf states and Israel.
Lebanon has also been drawn into the hostilities after the Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel, prompting Israeli strikes, including in the capital, and a ground operation in southern Lebanon.
Sharif emphasized that the ceasefire applied “everywhere,” including Lebanon, although Israel later stated that the agreement did not extend to the country, where it continues aerial and ground operations against Hezbollah.
The temporary ceasefire came after last-minute efforts by Pakistan and other mediators to prevent Trump’s threat of large-scale destruction in Iran, a move that legal experts warned could amount to a war crime.
Turkey and Egypt also played mediating roles in recent days, while China helped persuade Iran to come to the negotiating table, according to Trump’s remarks to AFP on Wednesday.
Despite a history of missile exchanges with Iran and a sometimes fraught relationship with Washington, Islamabad currently maintains warm ties with both capitals.
This positioning has strengthened Pakistan’s reputation as a moderating force, reinforced by its alliances with major regional players, including Saudi Arabia and China.
Pakistan is home to the world’s second-largest Shia Muslim population after Iran, shares a 900-kilometre border with Tehran, and represents certain Iranian diplomatic interests in Washington, where Iran has no embassy.
