Pakistan in the room of ceasefire but not running the game
The nuclear-armed Islamic nation has taken on an unexpected role as a mediator in the conflict, drawing on its warm ties with nearly all the major players in the six-week war, giving Pakistan’s capital a rare moment on the global stage.
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But behind the public diplomacy in Islamabad, America’s biggest rival, China, emerged as the quiet force shaping the outcome, playing a key role alongside the Trump administration in brokering the fragile ceasefire.
In the hours after the ceasefire was declared by Pakistan, Iranian officials reportedly believed that last-minute pressure from China had ensured the ceasefire was accepted; This claim was soon confirmed by Trump. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked China for its support, while the White House said Beijing’s role in the ceasefire occurred at the “highest levels” of the US and Chinese governments.
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Is Pakistan just a mediator?
Arun Singh, a former diplomat who served as India’s ambassador to the US between April 2015 and August 2016, told Bloomberg that Pakistan’s mediating role in the Iran conflict reflects situational benefit rather than any structural change in regional dynamics.
“Pakistan had a benefit and so it played a role. We shouldn’t worry too much about it,” he said.
At the same time, this arrangement also carried risks. Pakistani officials said Islamabad was acting as a mediator, while China acted as a “guarantor” assuring Iranian officials that they would not be targeted in future negotiations, The Guardian reported.
Meanwhile, diplomatic signaling extended beyond official channels. Sharif, who adopted a language similar to Trump, said in his post on
But behind the scenes, the White House had reviewed and approved the message before it was released, according to a New York Times report; this indicated more active back-channel interaction than public messaging suggested. Although Trump publicly warned Iran of serious consequences if it did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials were also working to de-escalate the crisis ahead of the deadline.
According to the NYT, a White House official denied speculation that Trump prepared the statement himself.
Dragon’s dance of diplomacy
Beijing’s role in the ceasefire reflects its deep ties across the region. China maintains close relations with both Pakistan and Iran and remains Tehran’s largest trading partner despite years of US sanctions. It has also invested heavily in Pakistan through Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road initiative, and both countries have often described their partnership as “hardcore.”
According to a senior Pakistani official quoted by AFP, China’s intervention was decisive at a critical moment. “Hopes were fading on the night of the ceasefire, but China stepped in and persuaded Iran to accept the preliminary ceasefire,” the official said. “Although our efforts were centralized, we were falling short of a breakthrough, which was finally achieved after Beijing persuaded the Iranians.”
Although Beijing has neither confirmed nor denied its role and Xi has not commented publicly on the conflict, the move marks a departure from China’s traditional reluctance to become directly involved. Its ability to establish relations with Iran, the Gulf countries and the United States simultaneously positioned it as an important behind-the-scenes actor.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held 26 meetings with counterparts from relevant countries, while Beijing’s Middle East envoy “shuttled” through the region during the conflict, according to a foreign ministry spokesman. Despite this, analysts say China may avoid taking on a formal guarantor role and prefer to limit its involvement to quiet diplomacy.
Despite the ceasefire, negotiations remain complex. One of the key points in the dispute is Lebanon, which Pakistan and Iran want to be included in the ceasefire but Israel refuses. While Israel continues its attacks targeting Hezbollah, the USA plans to hold separate meetings with Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington.
(With input from institutions)
