NPR · 19 days ago

Pakistan Hosts U.S.-Iran Peace Talks After Weeks of Frantic Diplomacy

Pakistan, a nation grappling with political and economic instability at home, has emerged as an unlikely but trusted mediator between the United States and Iran, brokering a fragile two-week ceasefire that both sides credited to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir. The achievement has left many Pakistanis astonished -- "When did Pakistan get so influential?" asks one young resident -- as their capital prepares to host talks aimed at transforming the pause into lasting peace. Now comes the harder task: navigating sticking points like the Strait of Hormuz and Israeli attacks on Lebanon while maintaining the rare trust both adversaries have placed in Pakistani diplomacy. On Islamabad's blocked roads, where commuters face barbed wire and diversions, 43-year-old Muhammad Waseem captures the national mood: "Peace talks are going on, so for this we should compromise."