A potential diplomatic breakthrough in the ongoing standoff between the United States and Iran appeared to emerge on Sunday after Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Tehran had formally conveyed its response to US President Donald Trump’s latest peace proposal through Pakistan.
The development is being viewed as the clearest sign of diplomatic progress in several weeks amid rising regional tensions, continuing instability across the Gulf and mounting global concerns over energy supplies linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking during an event in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan was continuing its mediation efforts with complete sincerity in an attempt to help both Washington and Tehran move toward a durable ceasefire agreement and broader regional stability.
Sharif revealed that Pakistan’s military leadership had informed him earlier in the day that Iran’s official response to the latest American proposal had been received. However, he declined to publicly disclose further details regarding the contents of the message or the status of the negotiations.
The confirmation has placed Islamabad at the centre of increasingly intense diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing the Gulf crisis from escalating into a wider regional conflict. The prolonged instability surrounding the Strait of Hormuz has already contributed to major disruptions in global energy markets, causing oil prices and fuel costs to rise sharply in several countries.
Iranian state media later confirmed that Tehran had formally submitted its response to Washington through Pakistani intermediaries. According to reports from Iranian news agency IRNA, Iran’s position focused heavily on ending military hostilities across the broader region and restoring maritime security in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest diplomatic developments have fuelled speculation that new rounds of negotiations between the United States and Iran could soon take place. A senior Pakistani official familiar with the discussions reportedly told Arab News that preparations were already underway in Islamabad for another major diplomatic meeting expected later this week.
According to the official, meetings involving relevant government and diplomatic officials had already begun in the Pakistani capital to prepare for what could become high-profile talks involving key international stakeholders.
The renewed diplomatic activity follows reports that the United States had earlier submitted a detailed 14-point proposal aimed at ending the crisis and establishing conditions for a broader peace arrangement.
Under the reported framework, Iran would agree to halt uranium enrichment activities for at least 12 years, abandon any pathway that could potentially lead to nuclear weapons development and surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
In exchange, Washington would reportedly begin gradually easing economic sanctions imposed on Tehran, release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian financial assets and end the naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.
However, Iran’s nuclear programme continues to remain the central obstacle preventing a final agreement from being reached. Tehran has repeatedly insisted that uranium enrichment represents a sovereign national right under international law and has strongly resisted demands for a long-term suspension of its enrichment activities.
Despite the fresh diplomatic momentum, tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz remain extremely high. Since the conflict began in February, Iran has maintained restrictions on foreign shipping through the strategically vital waterway, while the United States responded last month by imposing a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
The confrontation has significantly disrupted global shipping and energy markets, contributing to rising fuel prices and worsening economic pressure in several countries dependent on Gulf energy supplies. Pakistan itself has reportedly faced growing economic difficulties because of the ongoing crisis and rising energy costs.
According to reports by Al Jazeera, Pakistani officials have been encouraging Iran to adopt a more flexible negotiating position amid fears that prolonged instability in the Gulf could further damage regional economies.
The report stated that the negotiations remain highly sensitive and delicate, with many of the most important details of Iran’s latest response still being kept confidential. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to face domestic economic strain linked to the disruption of maritime trade and energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
The diplomatic efforts are also unfolding just days before Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to China. Beijing is reportedly facing increasing international pressure to play a larger role in helping stabilise the Gulf region because of its close economic ties with Iran and its status as one of Tehran’s biggest oil customers.
Analysts believe China’s involvement could become increasingly important in any future agreement, particularly given Beijing’s influence over Iran’s economy and energy exports.
