The Iran-US agreement represents an extraordinary diplomatic success for Pakistan, built on a series of coordinated diplomatic moves that can be broken down into four key achievements.
On one side stood the United States and Israel, engaged in military confrontation with Iran, while major powers either appeared paralysed or had effectively withdrawn into indifference. Yet there was another danger, perhaps even greater. Israel’s effort, or perhaps its central design, was to transform this conflict into a war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Had that happened, Islamic civilisation would have been drawn into a destructive struggle against itself while Israel watched from the sidelines. The plan appeared complete. Then Pakistan stepped into its path.
If the coming years witness greater unity within the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia’s conduct during this period will undoubtedly be remembered among the formative moments that made it possible.
Islamabad understood the nature of the game being played. It decided to overturn it. Conditions were unfavourable. The challenges were immense. The pressures were relentless. Criticism came not only from abroad but also from within. Yet Pakistan knew it had no option but failure. Success was imperative because failure would have pushed the Muslim world toward a catastrophic future. Pakistan remained focused and steadfast because it could see that there was no alternative. Failure would have meant a grievous wound to the broader Islamic world.
Consider the scale of this success. Through skilful diplomacy, Pakistan reversed a strategy that must have taken years for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his planners to construct.
Saudi Arabia’s role was equally remarkable. The restraint, maturity and sense of responsibility demonstrated by Riyadh throughout the crisis deserve recognition. If the coming years witness greater unity within the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia’s conduct during this period will undoubtedly be remembered among the formative moments that made it possible.
There was another success. Israel wanted the conflict to continue, yet Pakistan helped bring it to an end. The extent of Israel’s influence and lobbying power in Washington requires no explanation. Despite that reality, Pakistan succeeded in persuading the United States of its position. Those familiar with global politics understand how significant it is for any country to have its voice heard in Washington when Israeli preferences point in a different direction.
The diplomatic developments that followed, including the increasingly awkward optics surrounding Prime Minister Netanyahu’s engagement with President Donald Trump, can be left for future historians to interpret. Whatever explanations or qualifications may be offered, Pakistan’s achievement remains exceptional.
A third success was equally important. Pakistan ensured that Israel, a state it does not recognise, remained entirely outside the negotiating framework. Israel was not part of the process. It was not even included as an observer. Throughout the negotiations, it remained diplomatically isolated. The United States may have maintained its own channels of communication, but within the peace process itself, Israel had no seat at the table.
Some may choose not to acknowledge the significance of this fact. Yet the reality is visible to anyone willing to see it. In a world where influence is often measured by proximity to power, Pakistan succeeded in shaping a major diplomatic process while keeping Israel outside it. Those in Tel Aviv would be in a better position than anyone else to explain the effectiveness of that diplomatic manoeuvre.
Pakistan’s fourth success was no less noteworthy. At one stage, President Trump raised the question of engagement with Israel under the framework of the Abraham Accords. Speculation immediately followed. Some argued that Pakistan was coming under pressure. Others suggested that the praise Trump had previously showered upon Pakistan’s leadership was part of a broader effort to draw Islamabad into the process. Still others challenged Pakistan to demonstrate whether it could actually refuse.
The commentary was endless. Yet Pakistan responded without hesitation. It stated clearly that Israel could not be accepted unless it withdrew to the 1967 borders and a viable Palestinian state was established. Saudi Arabia stood firmly alongside Pakistan. Indeed, it would be more accurate to say that both countries spoke with one voice. They already shared important defence ties. Now they had also presented a coordinated diplomatic position on one of the most consequential issues facing the Muslim world.
In doing so, Pakistan demonstrated that close relations with the United States would not alter its national position. It showed that maintaining principled policies and maintaining dignified relations with Washington are not mutually exclusive goals.
Only the formalities remain. The final documents will be signed in Geneva, and Pakistan will host this international gathering for peace.
Pakistan has achieved something that would test the imagination even of institutions such as the United Nations. The world is filled with powerful states, global organisations and influential actors. Yet when threats were being made that carried profound implications for an entire civilisation, it was Pakistan that stepped forward carrying the banner of peace.
The future now opens onto a landscape of new possibilities. And standing in that landscape is a different Pakistan: more confident, more respected, more dignified and more assured than before.
The writer is a lawyer and author based in Islamabad. He tweets @m_asifmahmood