Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar touched down in Washington Friday to hold discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding recent progress in Iran peace negotiations.
Initial peace discussions held in Pakistan ended without reaching a formal agreement, though Reuters reported Thursday that sources indicated Tehran and Washington had achieved a preliminary understanding to extend an April ceasefire and remove shipping limitations in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump has not yet given his approval to the arrangement, and Iran’s Tasnim news agency confirmed Friday that no final deal has been completed, noting recent modifications to the terms.
The State Department’s official schedule shows Dar will sit down with Rubio at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT). Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirmed Dar’s Washington arrival and indicated he plans to return home the same day.
Though Dar also serves as deputy prime minister, Pakistan’s mediation efforts to resolve the Iran conflict have been spearheaded by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. The ongoing conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and created worldwide economic hardship through rising energy costs.
Trump, who has commended Munir’s efforts, has consistently stated since mid-March that a war resolution appears imminent, despite limited visible progress between Washington and Tehran toward mutual understanding.
Iran continues demanding sanctions removal, asset unfreezing, and U.S. military withdrawal from the region, while the United States insists Iran must dismantle its nuclear program, which Tehran maintains serves peaceful objectives.
The most pressing concern involves reopening traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that previously handled one-fifth of worldwide oil and gas shipments before hostilities began.
MarineTraffic data showed no oil tankers passed through the strait during the previous 24 hours, though one Chinese-flagged vehicle carrier made the crossing. The data only tracks vessels actively transmitting their locations as of 1200 GMT Friday.
Multiple supertankers and liquefied natural gas carriers departed earlier this week.
Iranian state television reported 24 vessels navigated the strait within the past day, emphasizing that no ships may pass without authorization from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Pakistan previously announced that Dar’s Washington discussions with Rubio would center on bilateral relationships and “Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy.”
