Pakistan, China push US‑Iran talks as US pauses strikes

Pakistan continues to marshal diplomatic pressure, together with China, to revive the stalled U.S.–Iran talks that have been on hold since early 2026. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni made a second rapid visit to Islamabad within ten days, meeting Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Dar subsequently travelled to Beijing, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s mediation role in discussions with Chinese officials, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated China’s support and urged Tehran to re‑engage.

On the U.S. side, President Donald Trump halted a run of daily air strikes against Iranian targets after thirteen consecutive nights of bombing. Although Trump told reporters on July 24 that a “massive attack, bigger than ever before” was being considered, he reversed course the next day, citing dwindling Patriot missile stocks, the danger of a wider regional war and the impact on global energy markets. The pause was presented as a move toward diplomatic resolution.

The conflict entered a new phase as Washington pressed intermediaries such as Oman and Russia to persuade Iran to negotiate. Hostilities spread to the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi allies struck Saudi oil facilities, and a separate incident involving Ukraine occurred in the Caspian Sea. Both sides remain in a fragile cease‑fire dialogue, with mediators emphasizing the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore vessel transit to stabilise oil prices and curb broader Middle‑East tensions.