Pakistan’s US-Iran Mediation Bid Hits Trust Deficit

March 30, 2026

Pakistan has indicated that it is willing to mediate between the United States and Iran to ease the ongoing West Asia conflict, with Islamabad proposing a back-channel approach to convey messages between the two sides.

However, officials in India say that the effort may face serious challenges. They note that Pakistan is attempting to project itself as a peacemaker even as it remains engaged in tensions along its western front.

A key difficulty lies in balancing its ties with both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran regards both the US and Saudi Arabia as adversaries, while Pakistan maintains close strategic and military links with Riyadh. A bilateral security understanding between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia treats aggression against one as a concern for both.

Officials point to the growing mistrust in Iran towards Pakistan. Tehran is said to believe that Islamabad has used its goodwill in ways that indirectly benefit the United States. This perception appears to have been reinforced by a recent development at the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has allowed limited passage to vessels from select friendly nations, including Pakistan. As part of this move, around 10 Pakistani ships were permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz. However, the coordinated movement of these vessels was seen as indirectly benefiting the United States.

Tehran, however, is understood to have viewed the episode differently, interpreting Pakistan’s role as an attempt to maintain favour with the US while leveraging Iranian concessions.

Another challenge for Pakistan lies in its ties with Saudi Arabia. Under their military understanding, Islamabad was expected to support Riyadh, which has faced attacks linked to Iran. Its decision to stay away has caused unease in Saudi circles, prompting the kingdom to explore defence cooperation with Ukraine. Kyiv is seen as a battle-tested partner, with years of conflict experience against Russia and operational expertise in countering Iranian-made Shahed drones.

Saudi Arabia had expected Pakistan to stand by it during this period of strain. However, Islamabad, a State that allegedly exports and breeds terror, chose to limit its role to diplomatic engagement.