A British newspaper has claimed that the United States applied diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to persuade Iran to agree to a temporary ceasefire.
The report stated that while US President Donald Trump publicly issued strong statements against Iran, claiming Tehran was eager for negotiations, his administration was quietly working behind the scenes to achieve a ceasefire.
The report published in Financial Times added that Washington had been in contact with Pakistan for several weeks, urging it to convince Iran to agree to the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and reduce regional tensions.
Pakistan played a key role as a Muslim-majority neighbor, successfully mediating with Iran. It added that behind-the-scenes diplomacy led by Field Marshal Saeed Asim Munir made significant progress.
These diplomatic efforts culminated in the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran—a move widely seen as a major step toward reducing tensions in the region.
Just hours before the announcement, President Trump issued stern warnings to Iran, including threats targeting the country’s infrastructure, but privately he favored the ceasefire.
Analysts noted that rising oil prices and Iran’s unexpected resistance had prompted Trump to support a ceasefire at least since March 21, when he threatened Iran’s power plants.
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