How US Pushed Pakistan For a Deal With Iran Over Oil Price Concerns

The White House used Pakistan as a intermediary to secure a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The agreement, aimed at de-escalating a volatile regional conflict and reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, comes after weeks of intensifying pressure and back-channel negotiations, according to a report in Financial Times.

According to the report, the Trump administration leaned on Islamabad to navigate the deadlock with Tehran. As a Muslim-majority neighbour that has maintained a policy of neutrality throughout the recent hostilities, Pakistan was viewed by Washington as the only credible envoy capable of selling a truce to the Iranian leadership.

"The US and Pakistan believed Iran was more likely to accept the US-backed offer if it was delivered by a Muslim-majority neighbour state that had emphasised its neutrality throughout the conflict," the report said.

The mediation efforts were spearheaded by Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff. Munir reportedly facilitated a series of high-stakes communications between the White House-including direct calls with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance-and Iran's political and military elite. This diplomatic shuttle service began shortly after the US issued an ultimatum on 21 March, threatening to "obliterate" Iranian infrastructure if the strategic waterway remained closed.

While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian were reportedly open to a "ceasefire-for-Hormuz" deal in principle, the proposal faced stiff internal resistance. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's most powerful military faction, remained deeply divided after weeks of sustained US and Israeli bombardment.

Hardline elements within the IRGC nearly derailed the process on Tuesday following a drone strike on the Saudi petrochemical hub of Jubail. However, the move backfired; Pakistan, which holds a mutual defence pact with Saudi Arabia, issued a stern warning to Tehran. Islamabad signalled that further strikes would result in Iran's total regional isolation, effectively forcing the IRGC's hand.

The two-week pause was officially confirmed by President Trump on Tuesday. Curiously, the diplomatic theatre was briefly interrupted by a social media gaffe from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. When announcing the proposal on X (formerly Twitter), Sharif inadvertently included the internal heading "draft - Pakistan's PM message on X", revealing the carefully choreographed nature of the announcement.

The ceasefire provides a much-needed reprieve for global markets, which have been rattled by surging oil prices. With Iranian representatives now scheduled to arrive in Islamabad for formal negotiations, the international community is watching closely to see if this temporary pause can be converted into a long-term resolution. For now, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains the primary benchmark for the deal's success.