Pakistan’s Emergence as a Regional Mediator: An Analysis of Its Role in US–Iran Diplomatic Engagements (2025–2026)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62843/jrsr/v.iii.202Keywords:
US, Iran, Pakistan, Strait of Hormoz, PeacemakerAbstract
This study explores how Pakistan’s strategic location, historical relations with Iran, close ties with the United States, and growing engagement with Gulf states have created opportunities for Islamabad to play a constructive diplomatic role. The study particularly focuses on Pakistan’s mediation efforts, diplomatic initiatives, and their implications for regional stability, Pakistan’s foreign policy, and its international standing. Using a qualitative research approach based on diplomatic statements, official documents, policy reports, and secondary literature, the research evaluates whether Pakistan’s engagement represents a sustainable shift toward middle-power diplomacy or a temporary response to regional tensions. The study argues that Pakistan’s balancing position between competing regional and global powers provided it with a unique diplomatic space, while also presenting significant challenges.
References
Alkhafaji, M. (2026). Pakistan: The unexpected mediator in the 2026 US-Iran crisis. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6643638
Ashfaq, M. S. (2026). Exploring Pakistan's participation in UN peacekeeping as an instrument of international image-building. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6679079
Azam, A. (2026). Bringing brinkmanship to the bargaining table: Pakistan’s mediation in the US-Iran conflict. Global Change, Peace & Security, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/14781158.2026.2700259
Bahgat, G. (2023). U.S.-Iran relations: Challenges and opportunities. The Muslim World, 113(1–2), 108–119. https://doi.org/10.1111/muwo.12459
Bibi, A., Amin, N., & Shah, K. (2026). US-Iran tensions: Causes, global effects, and future consequences for international security and economy. Research Consortium Archive, 4(2), 580–589. http://rcresearcharchive.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/744
Bukhari, S. R. H. (2026). Nuclear Iran: Deterrence, power shifts, and the future of the Middle East.
Ijaz, L., & Irshad, M. K. (2026). Pakistan as a global mediator: An analytical study of the 2026 Islamabad Accords between the United States and Iran. Competitive Research Journal Archive, 4(1), 415–421. https://thecrja.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/250
Islam, S., & Shah, H. (2026). Mediation and strategic diplomacy: Pakistan’s role in facilitating U.S.-Iran dialogue and its impact on regional security architecture. Journal of Social Sciences Research & Policy, 4(1), 683–694. https://jssrp.org.pk/index.php/jssrp/article/view/374
Jahanzaib, M. (2026). Geo-politics and geo-economics of Pakistan: Imperatives, constraints and potentials in a changing strategic landscape. In The interplay of geo-politics and geo-economics in Pakistan’s foreign policy (post-2008): Imperatives, constraints and potentials through a neoliberal lens (pp. 163–214). Springer Nature Singapore.
Kainaat, R. (2026). Middle-power diplomacy in a great power crisis: Evaluating Pakistan mediation in the U.S.-Iran de-escalation.
Khalid, A., Hassan, Z., Hameed, N., & Khan, M. (2026). [Title missing in source provided]. Competitive Research Journal Archive, 4(1), 415–421. https://thecrja.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/250
Khan, O., Hussain, S., & Qazi, A. (2026). History of Pakistan-USA relations: A case study of establishing the special relationship and future of foreign policy in the Middle East. ASSAJ, 5(2), 1867–1873. https://assajournal.com/index.php/36/article/view/1853
Kousar, F., Anwar, N., & Fatima, I. (2026). Framing Pakistan as a mediator state: A critical discourse study of global leaders’ responses to the 2026 US-Iran ceasefire. International Journal of Advanced Research, 3(2), 1–12. https://ijournalar.com/site/index.php/ijar/article/view/2
Maoz, Z., & Terris, L. G. (2006). Credibility and strategy in international mediation. International Interactions, 32(4), 409–440. https://doi.org/10.1080/03050620601011073
Mohsin, Z., Hamza, M. A., Sajjad, & Saif, W. (2026). Between Washington and Tehran: Pakistan’s mediation role in the US–Iran ceasefire and regional stability. Inverge Journal of Social Sciences, 5(3), 200–211. https://doi.org/10.63544/ijss.v5i3.294
Naeem, M. A., Liaqat, B. B., & Mustafa, G. (2026). Role of Pakistan in Middle Eastern politics after Arab Spring: A critical analysis. Journal of Development and Social Sciences, 7(I), 30–43. https://doi.org/10.47205/jdss.2026(7-i)30
Robertson, J. (2017). Middle-power definitions: Confusion reigns supreme. Australian Journal of International Affairs, 71(4), 355–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357718.2017.1293608
Shah, S. A., Khan, A. W., Fatima, N., Seraj, A. H., Ozturk, I., & Zaman, K. (2026). A ticking time bomb: Phased global scenario analysis of the economic, energy, and geopolitical consequences of a prolonged Iran–U.S. war. Global Change, Peace & Security, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/14781158.2026.2695771
Sim, L. C., & Fulton, J. (2023). Asian perceptions of Gulf security. Taylor & Francis.
Ul Islam, E., Farhad, M. S., Yaseen, S., Jawed, S., & Iqbal, M. T. (2026). Caught in the middle: Pakistan's diplomatic tightrope and economic risk in a US-Iran conflict. Archives of Management and Social Sciences, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.63516/amss/03.02/001
Ullah, M., Ullah, N., & Khattak, S. (2026). Pakistan's balancing act under Field Marshal Asim Munir: Mediating the Iran–United States confrontation while navigating strategic entanglements in a multipolar order. Social Science Review Archives, 4(2), 2385–2399. https://doi.org/10.70670/sra.v4i2.2330
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
