Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday praised United States President Donald Trump for his “extraordinary efforts to pursue peace”, revealing that the US president held a “very useful and productive call” with representatives from several countries, including Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Staff and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Trump on Saturday spoke by phone with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Pakistan as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at advancing regional peace initiatives.
According to Axios, the participating leaders encouraged Trump to move ahead with the emerging peace framework during the discussions.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had a “very good call” with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, along with Qatar’s prime minister and a minister serving on the Board of Peace, as well as the kings of Jordan and Bahrain.
Trump added that his separate call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also gone “very well”.
Later, in a statement shared on X, PM Shehbaz said that Field Marshal Asim Munir represented Pakistan during the conversation with Trump and praised the military chief for his “tireless efforts during the entire process”.
The prime minister stated that the discussions offered an important opportunity to exchange views on the evolving regional situation and ways to advance the ongoing peace efforts to ensure lasting stability in the region.
He further said Pakistan would continue to pursue peace efforts with sincerity and expressed hope that the next round of talks could be hosted very soon.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also praised Trump’s leadership and commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, describing the phone call as a significant step toward achieving regional peace, stability and an early diplomatic breakthrough.
In a separate post on X, Dar appreciated the sustained engagement of the wider US team, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner.
Dar also acknowledged the constructive role played by the Iranian leadership, naming President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf.
He additionally commended PM Shehbaz’s “visionary leadership” and credited Field Marshal Asim Munir for playing a central role throughout the sensitive mediation process.
Dar further praised the efforts of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as well as the support of regional allies and other countries that remained engaged throughout the negotiations.
According to Dar, the progress achieved during the talks offered optimism that a positive and lasting outcome was within reach. He stressed that dialogue and diplomacy must prevail over conflict and confrontation to ensure prosperity and security for the wider region.
Pakistan has continued its efforts to revive the stalled Iran-US peace process after plans for a second round of negotiations in Islamabad were delayed.
The first round of direct talks between the United States and Iran was held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12 following a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on April 8. Although the discussions ended without a final agreement, the negotiations also avoided collapse.
Trump later cancelled a planned Islamabad visit by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for a second round of discussions with Iran. However, he extended the ceasefire indefinitely following requests from Field Marshal Asim Munir and PM Shehbaz Sharif.
The latest diplomatic engagements are taking place amid mounting pressure from the United States and its Middle Eastern allies. On Wednesday, Trump stated that negotiations with Iran had entered the final stages and warned that military strikes could resume if a deal was not reached within a limited timeframe.
Over the weekend, Trump further claimed that a memorandum of understanding regarding a peace agreement with Iran had been largely negotiated and said the arrangement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with further details expected soon.
Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic efforts to help break the deadlock in US-Iran negotiations, with Field Marshal Asim Munir concluding a high-level visit to Tehran on Saturday.
During his meetings in Tehran, the military chief held extensive talks with the Iranian leadership that resulted in what the Inter-Services Public Relations described as “encouraging progress towards a final understanding”.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented on Munir’s visit, saying Washington remained in constant communication with him and that senior US officials were regularly engaging with the Pakistani military leadership.
Rubio praised Pakistan for doing an “admirable job” in attempting to mediate a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also travelled to Iran for the second time in less than a week in an effort to revive the negotiations. During the visit, he met Iran’s president, parliament speaker and foreign minister.
The diplomatic visits came as negotiations appeared to move beyond political messaging and into detailed bargaining focused on a limited interim framework involving the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and guarantees against renewed military escalation.