The Institute of Regional Studies hosted a seminar in Islamabad on Greater Eurasia, where speakers from Pakistan, Türkiye and Azerbaijan called for deeper connectivity, stronger trade corridors and closer strategic cooperation in a rapidly changing multipolar order.
Pakistan received $3.5 billion in workers’ remittances in April 2026, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading inflows and cumulative FY26 remittances reaching $33.9 billion.
Donald Trump has dismissed Iran’s latest response as “totally unacceptable”, adding fresh tension to a fragile diplomatic moment.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan has received Iran’s response, signalling that Islamabad’s mediation channel remains active as regional diplomacy enters a sensitive phase.
President Donald Trump has cooled expectations of an imminent Islamabad signing ceremony, saying it is “too soon” for such a trip despite signs that US and Iranian negotiators are moving closer to a possible peace framework.
The United States has announced the phased closure of its Consulate General in Peshawar, with diplomatic engagement for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa now shifting to the US Embassy in Islamabad. The decision does not end US engagement with Pakistan, but it places renewed focus on KP’s security situation and the provincial government’s ability to reassure foreign missions.
Pakistan has strongly condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure in the UAE, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing solidarity with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and urging all sides to preserve the ceasefire for diplomacy and peace.
The call between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed underscored the Gulf’s growing concern over Iranian escalation and placed Saudi Arabia firmly beside the UAE at a moment of regional strain.
Iran’s attack on the UAE has drawn sharp condemnation from Donald Trump, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Gulf rulers and the United Nations, with world leaders warning that the crisis could threaten regional stability and global energy flows.
US President Donald Trump said American forces had destroyed multiple Iranian “fast boats” targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington moves to secure maritime routes amid rising Gulf tensions.