Pakistan Urges US, Iran to Revive Talks as Hormuz Tensions Escalate

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan said Thursday it will press the United States and Iran to halt military strikes and resume technical negotiations under a memorandum of understanding brokered last month, as fighting around the Strait of Hormuz enters its sixth day.

“While implementation of the MoU faces challenges, Pakistan will continue to encourage all sides to end violence and resume technical-level talks in accordance with the agreement,” Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.

“We express hope for an early normalization of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and underscore the importance of ensuring the continued safety, security and freedom of maritime navigation,” he added.

The United States has carried out strikes on Iran this week, prompting retaliatory attacks on U.S. interests in the Gulf as the two powers clash over the strategic Hormuz shipping lane. The confrontation has sent global oil prices surging and raised fears of inflationary spillover well beyond the region.

The vital energy corridor, which Iran asserts it controls, remains the flashpoint of renewed hostilities despite a preliminary June deal aimed at ending the conflict.

“Pakistan recognizes the urgent need to address the impact of the current situation on global energy supplies and other economic commodities, including trade and food security,” Andrabi said.

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