PM Shehbaz meets Nawaz, discusses Middle East situation and Pakistan's peace efforts

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Sunday and briefed him on the situation in the Middle East and Pakistan’s efforts aimed at promoting peace in the region, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

According to a statement, during a visit to Jati Umra, the prime minister apprised Nawaz of the overall situation in the country and took him into confidence regarding global oil prices as well as the government’s measures to provide relief to the public.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also present during the meeting.

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The conflict, now in its third month with no clear end in sight, began when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

As the conflict escalated, Pakistan entered as a mediator and a two-week ceasefire was brokered on April 8 through its efforts.

Following the ceasefire, direct talks were held in Islamabad on April 11, but no agreement was reached on a lasting truce. Former US president Donald Trump later extended the ceasefire without setting a new deadline after a request from Pakistan.

Since April 13, the US has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the strategic waterway.

Pakistan has remained in the global spotlight since the US and Iran first agreed to a temporary ceasefire three weeks ago, which led to the groundbreaking direct talks between the two adversaries since 1979.

During the last 10 days or so, Pakistan twice came close to arranging another round of talks. But Iran's preconditions, such as lifting the US naval blockade, prevented the second round from happening.

Since then, backchannel diplomacy has taken over. Islamabad may no longer be in the spotlight, but it remains a pivotal player guiding behind-the-scenes efforts.

It was via Pakistan that Iran recently shared a proposal with the United States to end the war.

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In a social media post on Tuesday, US President Trump said Iran had informed the US it is "in a 'State of Collapse,'" insisting Tehran wants the Strait of Hormuz open as "they try to figure out their leadership."

Apart from differences on major issues, Iran and the US have divergent approaches on how to end the conflict.

Iran wants a step-by-step approach and does not want to sign a deal in a hurry. The US, meanwhile, is pushing for an "all-in-one deal" envisaging all contentious issues, including the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear matters.

Washington feels that lifting the naval blockade in return for reopening the Strait of Hormuz would take away its key leverage at the negotiating table.

With the US having reservations over the Iranian proposal, American media reports suggest that Tehran may soon submit a revised set of plans via Pakistan to Washington.

This shows that the diplomatic process, even if moving at a slow pace, has not halted.