More than two weeks of intense, largely unseen diplomacy preceded the announcement that the United States and Iran have agreed to observe a two-week ceasefire, diplomatic observers told Dawn — a breakthrough they say would not have been possible without sustained mediation by Pakistan.

“Why has Pakistan remained front and centre in a high-stakes and high-risk US-Iran peace facilitation effort?” asked Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based scholar of South Asian affairs. “Strong ties with all key players, trust from the White House, ongoing direct engagements with Iran, and buy-in from Pakistan’s ally China,” he said, noting that Beijing holds significant leverage with Tehran.

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