ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday held a telephone conversation to discuss regional developments and an upcoming four-country ministerial meeting in Istanbul, as Islamabad continues a diplomatic engagement push to ease tensions in the Middle East.
The call came a day after Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Force and Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held talks with Iran’s leadership in Tehran. During the talks, Naqvi said “significant progress” had been made toward restoring an Islamabad-brokered agreement between Iran and the United States.
“Discussions focused on bilateral relations, regional developments, and other matters of mutual interest,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 spoke with the Foreign Minister of Türkiye, H.E. Hakan Fidan @HakanFidan.
Discussions focused on bilateral relations, regional developments, and other matters of mutual interest. The two Ministers… pic.twitter.com/CPFag7fq72
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 25, 2026
“The two Ministers also discussed the upcoming meeting of the Regional Four (R4) Foreign Ministers and other forthcoming multilateral engagements.”
Field Marshal Iran visit as part of mediation efforts
During the visit, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held a separate meeting with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, with discussions focusing on regional peace, de-escalation and efforts towards a negotiated settlement of the US-Iran conflict.
The two sides discussed measures aimed at preventing further escalation and promoting a peaceful, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the conflict in the Middle East.
The Iranian leadership appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role and sincere efforts towards facilitating dialogue, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Field Marshal Munir separately met Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, with the two sides discussing the regional situation and diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
He also held a meeting with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who had received him upon his arrival in Iran.
“Comprehensive discussions focused on measures to prevent further escalation, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and expedited termination of the conflict. The two sides also exchanged views on regional peace and the ways to arrive at a negotiated settlement to the disputes,” Pakistan’s military media wing ISPR stated.
Pakistan’s mediation efforts
Pakistan has been engaged with the leaderships of the US and Iran in efforts to broker peace between the two countries since their conflict broke out in February this year.
As a key mediator between the US and Iran, Pakistan brokered the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington in June, aimed at ending hostilities and paving the way for further negotiations.
After nearly six months of war since the US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, the sides are not firing at each other but also showing no sign of pursuing peace talks.
Oil shipments are at a virtual standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran threatening to strike any unauthorised oil tankers that try to transit the vital waterway, and Iran’s economy is already under immense pressure from sanctions.
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Islamabad has repeatedly called for diplomacy to resolve the conflict and said last week it was making “all-out efforts” through direct and indirect channels to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table.
Islamabad MoU framework for US-Iran talks
The US and Iran signed the Pakistan-brokered Islamabad MoU in June to halt fighting and start technical-level negotiations for a comprehensive agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Under the Islamabad MoU, the US and Iran committed to halt military operations, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping and negotiate a comprehensive agreement covering Iran’s nuclear programme, US sanctions and a permanent ceasefire within 60 days.
Pakistan is mediating talks between Iran and the United States after helping secure a ceasefire on April 8 and hosting high-level talks between the two sides in Islamabad on April 12 and 13.
Islamabad talks between the US and Iran
Pakistan and Qatar are mediating between Tehran and Washington under the framework of the Islamabad MoU to permanently end the conflict.
Pakistan and Qatar later co-mediated the first round of high-level talks in Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21. The meeting was attended by US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Following the meeting, Pakistan and Qatar said significant progress had been made in diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran.
The 60-day negotiating window created by the Islamabad MoU between the US and Iran expired on August 17 with no final peace agreement.
The US position has been considerably tougher. President Donald Trump declared the agreement over on July 7 after renewed fighting.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio subsequently said an MoU could not remain alive if Iran was violating its provisions, particularly those concerning shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Rubio said Washington remained open to genuine diplomacy.
The dispute over Hormuz is now at the heart of the crisis. Iran says the waterway will remain closed until Washington lifts sanctions, unfreezes Iranian assets and withdraws its forces.
Tehran also wants compensation for wartime damage. Washington, by contrast, insists on unrestricted shipping and has pursued economic and military pressure to force Iran to reopen the strait. Or it insists that the US would continue a complete blockade of Iran.
