Trump signals visit Pakistan if a US–Iran deal is signed in Islamabad, praising Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while placing Pakistan firmly at the heart of the diplomatic drive.
Pakistan is pushing to convert its ceasefire mediation into something larger: progress on the nuclear issue at the centre of the Iran crisis. But while optimism has grown, key disputes remain unresolved and officials say a second round of talks has not yet been formally dated.
Donald Trump has said fresh US-Iran talks in Islamabad could take place within days, reinforcing Pakistan’s growing role as a mediator. Why, he says? "Because the Field Marshal is doing a great job."
From calls with Tehran and Gulf capitals to ceasefire diplomacy and marathon talks in Islamabad, Pakistan has inserted itself into the most delicate phase of the U.S.-Iran crisis and emerged as an unlikely broker of dialogue.
The Islamabad Talks were never designed to deliver an instant grand bargain between Washington and Tehran. Their significance lies in something more foundational: they preserved the ceasefire, brought both sides face to face, defined the central sticking point and opened the door to a second phase of diplomacy.
Per a new purchasing managers’ survey released by HBL and S&P, Pakistan’s manufacturing PMI rose to 50.9 in May, returning to expansion as new orders recovered and export orders posted their strongest rise since February 2025.
Pakistan’s major ports are seeing a sharp rise in container and transshipment activity as Gulf disruption redirects cargo towards Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar.
Iranian officials are preparing three days of farewell ceremonies and a 24-hour funeral procession for Ali Khamenei, with events expected in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad.
Trump reportedly warned Netanyahu against further escalation in Lebanon as US-Iran diplomacy faced renewed pressure, with Pakistan and Qatar involved in efforts to preserve a fragile regional framework.