What happened
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on 14 May 2026 that it remained engaged in efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran, with spokesperson Tahir Andrabi telling a weekly briefing that Islamabad believed in negotiations and diplomacy between countries for regional peace, stability and prosperity.
Andrabi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had held telephone conversations with the leaders of Qatar and Azerbaijan, and that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar remained in contact with foreign ministers from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Austria and Singapore. He said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had expressed full support for Pakistan’s diplomatic role and stressed the importance of a sustainable ceasefire and dialogue during a call with Dar.
The spokesperson said Pakistan had recently forwarded Tehran’s response to Washington’s proposal for a lasting peace. “The US-Iran peace process is underway. We are engaged in it and remain hopeful,” he said.
Pakistan helped broker a two-week ceasefire on 8 April and later hosted delegations from both sides for talks, which ended without a permanent agreement to end the war. The conflict erupted on 28 February after the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, prompting retaliatory attacks. KhabarWire has reported earlier on Pakistan’s mediation efforts.
Iranian aircraft report rejected
Andrabi rejected a report about an Iranian aircraft in Pakistan as “misleading and sensationalised”. He clarified that the aircraft had arrived in Islamabad during the ceasefire period for matters related to diplomatic personnel and administrative affairs. The briefing followed a CBS News report, cited by other outlets, that an Iranian aircraft had been parked at an airbase outside Rawalpindi.
On Pakistan’s ties with Gulf countries, the spokesperson said defence relations with “brotherly countries” rested on institutional frameworks and long-term policy considerations and would not be affected by any single visit or regional development.
India, deportations and seized sailors
Andrabi welcomed growing voices in India advocating dialogue between the two countries, describing them as a positive development and saying Pakistan would wait to see whether there was an official Indian response. He was responding to remarks by former Indian army chief Gen (retd) Manoj Naravane.
Commenting on reports of deportations from the United Arab Emirates, the spokesperson called the figures exaggerated and said the overall number of Pakistanis residing in the UAE should also be considered. Citing an interior ministry statement, he said the reports were deemed “mala fide” after a review of available details. “No country or sect specific deportations from any country including UAE are being carried out,” the ministry had said.
Separately, the Foreign Office confirmed that 10 Pakistani nationals aboard the seized oil tanker MT Honour 25 were still being held after Somali pirates hijacked the vessel near Puntland. Andrabi said Pakistani diplomats had travelled to Mogadishu and met Somali authorities, who assured them the crew were safe and receiving food, and that negotiations for their release were taking place between the pirates and the ship’s owner.
Why it matters
The briefing presented Pakistan as a continuing facilitator between Washington and Tehran even after the talks it hosted failed to produce a permanent agreement. It also reflected Islamabad’s effort to manage parallel relationships — with Gulf states, China and the United States — while responding to reports that have raised questions about its role in the conflict.
What is still uncertain
No permanent US-Iran agreement had been reached, and the Foreign Office declined to comment on the specifics or channels of the mediation. The account of the Iranian aircraft rested on Pakistan’s statement rejecting the report rather than a disclosure of flight details. The deportation figures and their basis were disputed, and the Fateh Khel police-post attack and other security incidents were addressed separately from the mediation file.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published material, not independent reporting. Sources reviewed on 2026-05-14. Statements about the peace process, the aircraft and deportations are attributed to Pakistan's Foreign Office.
- Geo News — "Pakistan reiterates resolve to play role in reducing US-Iran tensions"14 May 2026 · Reports the Foreign Office weekly briefing, the mediation contacts, the rejection of the Iranian-aircraft report and the comments on Gulf ties and deportations.
- ET Now — "Pakistan says it welcomes calls for dialogue emerging from India"14 May 2026 · Reports the comments welcoming Indian voices for dialogue and the Foreign Office statement on the 10 Pakistani nationals held aboard the seized tanker MT Honour 25.
