U.S. officials and Iranian senior lawmakers have criticized Pakistan's attempts to mediate tensions between the two nations [1, 2].
The diplomatic friction threatens the stability of the Strait of Hormuz, where Pakistan has sought to act as a neutral third party to resolve a persistent deadlock [3].
Reports from April 2026 indicate that both the U.S. and Iran have questioned the credibility of Islamabad's role [2, 4]. U.S. officials said Pakistan acted with duplicity, while Iranian lawmakers said the mediator has a perceived bias toward U.S. interests [1, 3].
Adding to the tension are reports that Pakistan sheltered Iranian military aircraft at a domestic airbase [1]. This development has undermined confidence in Pakistan's ability to remain neutral, as it appears to balance contradictory security arrangements while attempting to facilitate peace talks [1, 3].
While some observers suggest Pakistan's unique relationships with both powers put it in a strong position to stabilize the region, other reports suggest the mediation has backfired [3, 5]. Critics said the effort has created more problems than solutions, resulting in significant diplomatic, and financial setbacks for the Pakistani government [3].
These setbacks occurred shortly after the U.S. canceled an envoy's trip, further complicating the timeline for a resolution [2]. Pakistan continues to present itself as a viable mediator despite the public condemnation from both sides [1, 3].
“U.S. officials have accused Pakistan of duplicity”
The simultaneous rejection of Pakistan's mediation by both Washington and Tehran suggests a collapse of trust in Islamabad as a neutral broker. By attempting to maintain security ties with Iran—evidenced by the sheltering of military aircraft—while pursuing a U.S.-aligned diplomatic track, Pakistan has inadvertently signaled a lack of transparency that alienates both parties.
