Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the United States and Iran to consider extending the 14-day ceasefire beyond its Wednesday deadline, calling on both sides to “give dialogue and diplomacy a chance.”
Dar made the remarks during a meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad Natalie Baker on Tuesday, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry. The two discussed the latest regional developments, with Dar stressing Pakistan’s “consistent emphasis” on dialogue as the “only viable” path to regional peace and stability.
He also stressed the need for continued engagement between Washington and Tehran, calling directly for an extension of the current ceasefire window. Baker conveyed Washington’s “appreciation for Pakistan’s constructive and positive role in promoting regional peace and facilitating dialogue,” the ministry said.
Pakistan hosted an initial round of US-Iran talks on 11–12 April after brokering the 14-day ceasefire on April 8. Efforts for a second round are under way, though uncertainty remains over whether Tehran will dispatch a delegation.
Dar’s call runs directly against Trump’s position. The US president has said it is “highly unlikely” he will extend the truce and indicated he will not lift the Hormuz blockade until a full agreement is reached. Trump told CNBC separately on Tuesday that he expects to resume bombing if no deal is secured.
Hostilities in the region escalated after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on 28 February. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.
Islamabad remains under a security lockdown ahead of any second round of talks. The diplomatic deadlock leaves Sri Lanka’s fuel import channels exposed, with Brent crude still above $96 per barrel amid persistent Hormuz transit risk.
