ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York on Thursday, according to the premier’s office. The discussions took place as the UN General Assembly served as a central forum for attempts to de-escalate the protracted US-Iran war.
The conflict, which erupted following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has severely disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway facilitating approximately one-fifth of global oil shipments. Pakistan has advocated for a cessation of hostilities, serving as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi participated in the Thursday meeting, while Sharif was joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, and foreign policy adviser Tariq Fatemi, as reported by the Pakistani Prime Minister’s Office.
A statement from Sharif’s office stated, “The meeting will address Pakistan-Iran relations and the broader regional situation.”
Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic mediation in recent months. In August, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi traveled to Tehran to engage with Iranian leaders, aiming to prevent further escalation, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and broker a negotiated resolution to the conflict.
This diplomatic undertaking requires Islamabad to carefully balance its relationship with neighboring Iran against its close economic and defense ties with Saudi Arabia. This equilibrium has been strained as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis target the Kingdom, even as Pakistan reaffirms its defense commitments to Riyadh.
Pakistani officials noted that their prior discussions in Tehran yielded “significant progress,” though a final agreement was not reached. Islamabad has also urged Tehran to leverage its influence over the Houthis, particularly as renewed fighting in Yemen and attacks on Saudi Arabia heighten the risk of a broader regional confrontation.
Pezeshkian is attending the UN assembly as Iran pursues renewed diplomatic engagement with Washington. A senior Iranian official recently told Reuters that Tehran submitted a proposal to end hostilities via mediators, and its delegation in New York possesses the authority to negotiate, although a meeting with US President Donald Trump has not been scheduled.
Pakistan and Iran share an extensive border and maintain robust political and commercial ties, though their relationship has been tested by militant violence and competing regional alliances.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately release an outcome from Thursday’s discussions.
