ISLAMABAD: Following talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad over the weekend, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that “full efforts” were ongoing to resolve the conflict.
“Today, the ceasefire still stands. As I am talking to you, matters that are not resolved, full efforts are underway to resolve them,” he said during a televised address to the federal cabinet.
In his first remarks after the negotiations concluded, the premier described the Islamabad dialogue as a “historic moment,” saying it provided Pakistan with an opportunity to “turn looming clouds of war into lasting peace.”Drawing parallels with past peace processes, he said that agreements such as the Oslo Accord, the Geneva Accord, and the Good Friday Agreement took months or even years to end hostilities and establish lasting peace.
Referring to the Islamabad Talks, he revealed that the Iranian and American delegations had negotiated continuously for 21 hours. He emphasised that the dialogue was direct, noting that it was the first time both sides sat face-to-face. “I am a witness to it,” he said.
The prime minister added that Pakistan’s leadership worked tirelessly to bring both sides to the table. “And it is a result of Pakistan’s sincere efforts that the ceasefire still holds,” he said, reiterating that work was ongoing to resolve outstanding issues.He further noted that he had received a call from his Japanese counterpart, who congratulated him on Pakistan’s role in de-escalation efforts.
He also mentioned receiving calls from European leaders who commended Pakistan’s contributions.PM Shehbaz specifically praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, along with their teams, for their efforts in reducing tensions.
He credited the CDF and his team’s “wisdom” for enabling Pakistan to broker a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran. He added that while he was responsible for safeguarding national secrets, he could share that the military leadership worked through sleepless nights, with moments when the situation nearly collapsed before being stabilised.
The prime minister said that both US and Iranian delegations issued separate statements after the talks but shared common ground. Both sides expressed gratitude to Pakistan for hosting the dialogue and praised the country’s political and military leadership for playing a “brotherly role.”
He remarked that Pakistan had been given the opportunity to mediate between two nations that had not been willing to even see each other for 47 years. He also thanked the US and Iranian presidents for accepting Pakistan’s invitation and agreeing to a two-week ceasefire, calling it a “moment of pride for 240 million Pakistanis.”
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the federal cabinet adopted a resolution thanking God for allowing Pakistan to play a central role in promoting peace regionally and globally.The resolution paid tribute to PM Shehbaz, Ishaq Dar, and Asim Munir for their efforts in bringing both sides to the negotiating table and ending a nearly half-century-long stalemate.
It added that Pakistan’s role would be remembered in world history and expressed hope that these efforts would lead to lasting peace.The developments came a day after the inaugural round of direct Iran-US dialogue, mediated by Pakistan, concluded in Islamabad after nearly 21 hours without a breakthrough.
However, officials indicated that the process had not collapsed and could continue.The talks marked the highest-level face-to-face engagement between Washington and Tehran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution and were conducted in multiple formats, including expert-level discussions, facilitated by Ishaq Dar and Asim Munir.
They took place more than a month after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering a conflict that led to a global fuel crisis.Tensions escalated further on April 5 when Donald Trump issued a strongly worded post, setting a precise deadline for Iran to agree to a ceasefire and allow traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a vital maritime route through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flowed before the conflict.
“Tuesday (April 7), 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time,” he wrote, warning of potential bombing of Iran’s power plants and bridges, thereby intensifying global concern.On the day of the deadline, Trump escalated his rhetoric further, stating, “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back,” which drew backlash even within the United States.
With only hours remaining before the deadline, PM Shehbaz publicly urged Trump to extend it by two weeks, stating that diplomatic efforts for a peaceful resolution were progressing “steadily, strongly and powerfully.”He also appealed to Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz for the same two-week period.Soon after, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he had spoken with PM Shehbaz and Asim Munir.
He agreed to suspend military action against Iran for two weeks, conditional upon Iran ensuring the complete, immediate, and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.Subsequently, Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi issued a statement on behalf of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, declaring that Iran would cease its defensive operations if attacks against it were halted.
Eventually, both sides agreed to talks in Islamabad. Although no breakthrough was achieved, the significance of the dialogue lay in the fact that neither side withdrew, and officials suggested that the process could continue.