By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, exchanging views on regional developments and Islamabad’s ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States.

The call came as Pakistan continues to play a central mediating role between Washington and Tehran, following a two-week ceasefire brokered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that has since been extended.

According to a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dar “underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues, in order to advance regional peace and stability at the earliest”.

Foreign Minister Araghchi appreciated Pakistan’s “consistent and constructive facilitation role” in the diplomatic process, the ministry said. Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact as negotiations develop.

The conversation underscores Pakistan’s emergence as a key intermediary between the two nations, which have had no formal diplomatic relations since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The current diplomatic push follows weeks of heightened tensions. On February 28, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, triggering a conflict that raised fears of a wider regional war.

As the crisis escalated, Pakistan stepped in. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir personally requested that US President Donald Trump extend his initial “hell” deadline, securing a two-week ceasefire beginning April 8.

That diplomatic breakthrough paved the way for the “Islamabad Talks”-- unprecedented direct negotiations between senior US and Iranian officials held in the Pakistani capital on April 11 and 12.

The first round of talks, which marked the highest-level direct engagement between the two countries in more than four decade, ended without a final agreement. US Vice President JD Vance led the American delegation, while Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf headed Tehran’s team.

Key disagreements persist. According to US media reports, Washington has proposed a 20-year suspension of Iran’s nuclear activities, while Tehran has countered with a shorter pause of three to five years.

Other issues include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained nearly closed since the conflict began, and the release of Iranian frozen assets. Iranian officials have also demanded the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports as a condition for returning to the negotiating table.

Despite the impasse, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam described the talks as a “foundation for a diplomatic process that, if trust and will are strengthened, can create a sustainable framework for the interests of all parties”.

Just hours before the original ceasefire was set to expire on April 21, President Trump announced an extension following another request from Pakistan’s leadership. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the truce would remain in effect until Iran submits a comprehensive proposal.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude for the extension, stating that Pakistan “shall continue its earnest efforts for negotiated settlement of conflict” and expressing hope for a comprehensive “Peace Deal” during a second round of talks in Islamabad.

Pakistan’s mediation role has drawn recognition from multiple nations. The United Kingdom and Turkey have both publicly backed Islamabad’s facilitation efforts, with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott commending Pakistan’s role during a meeting with Dar.

Officials from more than ten countries, including Saudi Arabia, China, Canada, France, EU and Azerbaijan, have also acknowledged Pakistan’s diplomatic contributions.

For now, Dar and Araghchi’s conversation signals that diplomatic channels remain open—and Pakistan intends to keep them that way.