Islamabad, May 17, 2026: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan’s international standing has “completely changed” following its role in facilitating mediation between Iran and the United States after the recent conflict triggered by a coordinated US-Israeli strike on Iran in February.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, his first since the outbreak of the conflict, the prime minister described Pakistan as an “honest mediator” trusted by global leadership and said Islamabad had played a key role in helping secure an extended ceasefire that is currently in place.
He said Pakistan remained actively engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at sustaining peace and was hopeful of another round of face-to-face talks in Islamabad that could contribute to a long-term settlement between Tehran and Washington.
“Peace is never won easily. You have to have patience, sagacity and the ability to move things despite the most difficult challenges,” PM Shehbaz said.
The prime minister added that Pakistan was continuing efforts to ensure the peace process leads to “long-lasting peace” through further negotiations hosted in Islamabad.
“As we speak, we are still doing our best to ensure that this peace effort achieves a long-lasting peace through another session here in Islamabad, and we are hopeful that will happen,” he said.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said both Iran and the United States trusted Pakistan’s mediation role, alongside support from Gulf states.
“Fortunately, Iran trusts Pakistan as does the US administration — and also the Gulf states,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to former US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for accepting Pakistan’s invitation to engage in dialogue.
The prime minister credited Pakistan’s political and military leadership for its diplomatic outreach, particularly praising Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
“What we are seeing is a team effort of the political and military leadership. I must acknowledge that the field marshal has played a critical role, which will be recorded in history,” he said.
He also commended Ishaq Dar for sustained diplomatic engagement with international counterparts.
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan had been placed in a “prestigious position” through what he described as a combination of political and military coordination.
“Our international image has completely changed through this partnership of our political and military hierarchy,” he added.
The prime minister also thanked Donald Trump for previously helping mediate a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, saying his intervention helped avert a potential major crisis in South Asia.
Separately, discussing regional security, PM Shehbaz defended Pakistan’s actions against militant groups based in Afghanistan, saying Islamabad had repeatedly sought peaceful cooperation with Kabul.
“With Afghanistan, we had no other choice but kinetic action against terrorist hideouts and support infrastructure,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s primary demand was that Afghan authorities prevent such groups from operating from their territory.
