ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday urged all sides to exercise restraint amid renewed fighting between Iran and the United States, telling visiting Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni that Pakistan would continue efforts to prevent a wider regional conflict.
The latest hostilities have placed an interim US-Iran ceasefire agreement brokered by Islamabad under severe strain, threatening commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and reviving fears of a prolonged conflict with consequences for global energy supplies and regional economies.
The 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Iran and the United States on June 17, called for an immediate end to military operations, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic and negotiations on a final settlement covering sanctions, Iran’s nuclear program and other disputes. It committed the two sides to seeking a final deal within a maximum of 60 days.
The accord paved the way for US-Iran talks at Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on June 21, attended by Pakistan and Qatar as mediators. The meeting established a high-level committee and working groups on nuclear issues, sanctions, monitoring and dispute resolution, while the parties agreed on a roadmap toward a final agreement within 60 days and further technical negotiations.
“The Prime Minister shared his deep concern over the recent escalation in the Gulf region and urged all sides to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could further destabilize the region,” the Prime Minister’s Office said following Sharif’s meeting with Momeni.
“While emphasizing that Pakistan would continue to play its role as an honest and sincere mediator and facilitator, the Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s strong commitment to regional peace and stability.”
Renewed hostilities have exposed disagreements over the implementation and interpretation of the memorandum, particularly provisions relating to commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz, US sanctions relief, Iranian oil exports and the release of Tehran’s frozen assets.
US President Donald Trump declared the initial ceasefire agreement “over” this month and accused Iran of failing to honor its commitments, while Tehran has accused Washington of violating the accord. No date has been announced for another round of negotiations.
Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday with a delegation that includes the governor-general of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran’s deputy interior minister, its deputy minister of urban development and transport and the head of the National Iranian Oil Company.
Besides discussions on the regional conflict, the visit is also expected to focus on efforts by the neighboring countries to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion from about $3 billion by improving border infrastructure, transport links and cargo movement.
Following talks with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday, Momeni said achieving the trade target would require a substantial expansion of transport and cross-border infrastructure.
Pakistan shares a roughly 900-kilometer border with Iran, where security concerns, militant violence, smuggling and inadequate infrastructure have long constrained trade despite repeated pledges by the two governments to deepen economic cooperation.
