In call with Iranian president, PM says Pakistan committed to serving as 'honest and sincere facilitator'

Hours after an Iranian delegation departed Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and said that Pakistan was committed to serving as an “honest and sincere facilitator”.

In a post on the social media platform X, PM Shehbaz said that he had a “warm and constructive” call with the Iranian president on the evolving regional situation.

“I appreciated Iran’s continued engagement, including the high-level delegation to Islamabad led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, whom I had the pleasure of meeting earlier today,” he said.

“I reaffirmed that, with the support of friends and partners, Pakistan remains committed to [serving] as an honest and sincere facilitator — working tirelessly to advance durable peace and lasting stability in the region,” he said.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the phone call lasted 50 minutes, with the two leaders exchanging views on the “current regional situation and ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability in the region”.

It said that PM Shehbaz appreciated the participation of the high-level Iranian delegation in the Islamabad Talks held on April 11 and 12.

Further, the prime minister also welcomed Iran’s decision to send a delegation led by FM Araghchi to Islamabad.

“While sharing with the Iranian president an overview of his recent diplomatic outreach to a number of world leaders, the prime minister emphasised that these interactions had been helpful in building broader consensus in support of sustained dialogue and diplomacy aimed at achieving lasting peace in the war-affected region,” the PMO said.

It further said that the prime minister expressed appreciation for the fruitful discussions by the Iranian leadership with Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Munir during his recent visit to Tehran.

“While reassuring the Iranian president of Pakistan’s firm commitment to regional peace, the prime minister said that Pakistan would continue its sincere and honest endeavours to promote regional peace and security,” the statement said.

It added that Pezeshkian thanked the prime minister, CDF Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for their “significant contribution to the peace efforts”.

“While expressing Iran’s desire for peace, he also expressed confidence that the fraternal ties between Iran and Pakistan will continue to strengthen and expand in the future,” the statement said.

It added that the prime minister also conveyed his greetings and regards to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

“Both leaders agreed to continue their close coordination,” the statement concluded.

The first round of direct talks between the US and Iran was held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, which ended after more than 20 hours without agreement but kept the diplomatic channel open.

Since then, exchanges have continued indirectly through Pakistan, with both sides calibrating positions while avoiding a formal breakdown.

The ceasefire, originally brokered around April 7 and 8, has been extended without a defined timeline, creating space for diplomacy but also prolonging uncertainty.