Pakistan hosts regional talks to end Iran conflict, focus on Strait of Hormuz

Pakistan hosted talks with Türkiye, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to broker an end to the ongoing war involving Iran, with early discussions centered on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, sources familiar with the matter said.

At the conclusion of the first day of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that foreign ministers from the participating countries had discussed “possible ways to bring an early and permanent end to the war in the region” and had been briefed on potential US-Iran discussions in Islamabad, Reuters reports.

The meetings took place as Iran warned the United States against launching a ground attack and global oil prices surged amid continued fighting between Iran, the US, and Israel.

According to five sources familiar with the matter, the countries in Pakistan have floated proposals to Washington linked to maritime traffic in the Gulf, as part of broader efforts to stabilize shipping flows. The Strait of Hormuz, which previously carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has been effectively closed by Iran in response to recent US and Israeli air strikes.

Dar emphasized that all sides expressed confidence in Pakistan’s diplomatic role, noting that China “fully supports” the initiative. Pakistan, which shares a border with Iran like Türkiye, has leveraged its close ties to both Tehran and Washington to emerge as a key channel for negotiations, while Ankara and Cairo have also played roles.

A source from Pakistan said that proposals, including ones from Egypt, had already been forwarded to the White House before March 29 meeting, with some suggesting a Suez Canal-style fee structure for passage. Two other Pakistani sources said that Türkiye, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia could form a consortium to manage oil flows through the strait and had requested Pakistan’s participation; Islamabad has not formally been asked to join and maintains it will not.

The consortium proposal had reportedly been discussed with both the US and Iran. The first Pakistani source said the country’s army chief, Asim Munir, had been in regular contact with US Vice President JD Vance.

Pakistan said it is preparing to host “meaningful talks” in the coming days aimed at ending the conflict in Iran. Meanwhile, Türkiye’s priority, a diplomatic source in Ankara said, is securing a ceasefire. “Ensuring the safe passage of ships could serve as an important confidence-building measure in this regard,” the source added.

Earlier on March 29, Dar held separate one-on-one meetings with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts. He also posted on social media that Iran had agreed to allow 20 more Pakistani-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

By Vafa Guliyeva