The Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Dal, delivered a speech locally on March 29, stating that both the United States and Iran have expressed trust in Pakistan's ability to facilitate talks, and that the U.S.-Iran negotiations could take place in Pakistan within the coming days. "Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful discussions aimed at achieving a comprehensive and lasting solution to the current conflict."

Pakistan's proactive initiative to build a dialogue platform between the U.S. and Iran represents a skillful diplomatic breakthrough. As the only nuclear-armed Islamic state maintaining a delicate balance with both Tehran and Washington, Pakistan, in its role as host, has brought long-standing rivals back to the negotiating table—highlighting its unique geopolitical value and reflecting deeper shifts occurring in the Middle East situation.

For the U.S. and Iran, both deeply entrenched in sanctions and confrontation, Pakistan offers a rare "safe intermediary zone." This space combines a long history of counter-terrorism cooperation with the U.S., while also sharing borders and energy ties with Iran—a dual trust that is exceptionally scarce in today’s increasingly polarized international landscape.

For Pakistan itself, facilitating this round of talks not only helps alleviate security pressures along its western border but also holds potential for creating much-needed breathing room for its chronically weak economy. If diplomatic progress can unlock U.S. support on debt issues, the strategic gains would far exceed mere diplomatic achievements.

Certainly, it must be clear-eyed that structural contradictions between the U.S. and Iran cannot be resolved through a single meeting—core issues such as nuclear disputes and regional proxy conflicts remain vast chasms. However, Pakistan’s move signifies something crucial: in an era of increasing fragmentation in global governance, middle powers are attempting to break free from the binary framework of “either friend or foe,” using pragmatic diplomacy to carve out new buffer zones.

Regardless of the negotiation outcome, this effort—refusing to take sides and actively creating diplomatic public goods—has already injected a rare sense of certainty into an unstable world.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861075535920265/

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