Pakistan remains actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to defuse the ongoing stand-off over the Strait of Hormuz, with the Foreign Office describing Islamabad’s role as part of a coordinated initiative involving regional partners, particularly Oman and Qatar.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan was working alongside “brotherly states” to resolve the crisis and help return the situation to the framework established under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Andrabi acknowledged that different countries were taking the lead on different aspects of the diplomatic process. Oman has emerged as the key actor in negotiations with Iran over the future management of navigation through the strategic waterway, while Pakistan continues to contribute to the wider facilitation effort.
The spokesperson stressed that Pakistan’s role should be viewed within the broader diplomatic process that preceded the Islamabad MoU and the subsequent technical-level discussions. He distinguished between short-term facilitation during an acute crisis and longer-term mediation, which requires sustained negotiations among the parties.
Under the Islamabad MoU, Iran was required to facilitate temporary toll-free passage for commercial shipping before entering negotiations with Oman and other Gulf states over future arrangements for navigation, maritime services and related issues. Iranian and Omani officials have since held high-level talks on shipping routes, maritime services, cost-sharing and operational mechanisms. Tehran has indicated that progress has been made, including agreement on the geographical coordinates of a proposed shipping route, although differences over operational control and service charges remain.
Pakistan has maintained that its priority is securing implementation of the political understanding rather than becoming directly involved in individual manifestations of the crisis, such as the blockade or attacks on commercial vessels. Meanwhile, Islamabad is also examining the terms of reference and operational modalities of a newly announced Saudi-led multinational maritime coalition intended to protect shipping routes in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Andrabi said the coalition was still evolving and that Pakistan was consulting its military authorities before deciding on its participation.
The developments highlight Pakistan’s expanding diplomatic role in efforts to protect regional stability and maintain freedom of navigation, while Islamabad seeks to work closely with regional partners to prevent the Gulf crisis from escalating further.
