By Claudio Win 

WASHINGTON — At a time when the world feared the Middle East was sliding toward a catastrophic regional war, Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership emerged as one of the few forces capable of opening channels between bitter rivals and preventing a conflict that threatened to devastate the global economy.

At the center of those efforts was Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, whose behind-the-scenes diplomacy with Washington, Tehran, and key regional capitals is now being credited by multiple leaders as a decisive factor in achieving a ceasefire and reviving negotiations between the United States and Iran.

The crisis began after the February strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets. Initially, many governments believed the confrontation would remain limited to Iran, Israel and the US. But the situation quickly spiraled into a wider global emergency when Iran moved to block the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.

The closure sent shockwaves across international markets. Fuel prices surged globally, energy supplies tightened and fears of a worldwide recession spread rapidly. Countries across Asia, Europe and the Middle East began feeling the economic pressure almost immediately. In Pakistan, rising fuel and transport costs added to public anxiety as ordinary citizens struggled with inflation and uncertainty.

With tensions escalating daily, many world powers appeared unable to stop the slide toward a broader war. Diplomacy had stalled, trust between Washington and Tehran had collapsed, and regional actors feared a military confrontation that could engulf the entire Middle East.

It was during this dangerous phase that Pakistan stepped forward.

According to diplomatic sources, Field Marshal Munir, working closely with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, launched an intensive diplomatic initiative aimed at preventing a regional catastrophe.

Pakistani officials began contacting counterparts in Washington, Tehran and major regional capitals, urging all sides to prioritize dialogue over confrontation. What made Pakistan’s role unique, analysts say, was that Islamabad retained working relations with both the United States and Iran at a moment when few countries were trusted by both sides.

Sources familiar with the negotiations say Munir personally established communication channels with US President Donald Trump as well as senior Iranian leaders, helping reduce tensions during the most dangerous days of the crisis.

On April 8, Pakistan successfully helped secure a ceasefire framework between the parties. Just days later, Islamabad hosted senior American and Iranian officials for direct talks on April 11 and 12 - the first known high-level engagement between the two sides in decades.

Although the negotiations lasted nearly 21 hours, the talks ended without a final agreement, and both delegations returned home. Yet Pakistani mediation efforts did not stop.

Instead, Premier Sharif, Field Marshal Munir and Foreign Minister Dar intensified outreach to regional capitals including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt, encouraging coordinated diplomatic engagement to preserve the ceasefire.

Diplomatic sources say several Gulf countries were initially angered after Iranian attacks targeted facilities linked to the region during the crisis. However, Pakistan worked to convince regional governments that escalation would only deepen instability and economic destruction for all sides.

“It was a message focused on collective survival,” one regional diplomat said. “Pakistan argued that another war would not produce winners - only devastation.”

Munir’s most significant diplomatic push came during his recent visit to Tehran, where he held meetings with senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the Pakistani military chief warned US and Iranian leaders that failure to pursue diplomacy could trigger a much wider regional conflict involving multiple countries.

Sources also claim Pakistan shared intelligence assessments suggesting that certain  actors wanted negotiations to collapse in order to prolong instability and confrontation.

Faced with mounting economic pressure, military risks and fears of a broader regional war, Tehran and Washington reportedly agreed to continue the diplomatic process.

The breakthrough received public recognition during a high-level telephone conference involving President Trump and leaders from several Middle Eastern countries, where Pakistan’s role was openly praised by Trump and other leaders and appareciated Munir, who was representing Pakistan in that conference call meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later stated that Field Marshal Munir had represented Pakistan during the call and thanked him for his “tireless efforts” throughout the peace process.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also publicly credited Munir with playing a “central role” in one of the most sensitive diplomatic initiatives in recent regional history.

For Pakistan, the mediation effort marked a rare moment in which the country moved beyond traditional security concerns and positioned itself as a major diplomatic bridge between rival powers.

Today, leaders in capitals around the world are praising Pakistan for its efforts to help save the world from a major economic and energy crisis and to protect the lives of millions of people in the Middle East. There is no doubt that the credit goes to Pakistan, its military chief, and the country’s civilian leadership.

Analysts say Islamabad’s efforts demonstrated how middle powers can still influence international crises through persistent engagement, regional coordination and trusted communication channels.

While negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain ongoing, diplomats say the immediate danger of a catastrophic regional war has significantly eased, and the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen fully under emerging understandings between the US and Iran.

For millions across the world who feared another devastating Middle East war, Pakistan’s diplomatic intervention may ultimately be remembered as one of the key efforts that prevented a regional confrontation from turning into a global disaster.