Ceasefire Averted Collapse After Pakistan's Midnight Diplomacy

ISLAMABAD/TEL AVIV (Reuters) – A temporary ceasefire in the escalating Iran conflict, announced by Washington and Tehran early Thursday, was pulled from the brink of collapse by a last-minute, high-stakes diplomatic intervention from Pakistan, according to four Pakistani officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

The breakthrough, which paves the way for direct U.S.-Iran talks this weekend, followed what one source described as "several intense, breathless hours" during which the entire mediation effort nearly disintegrated. The crisis point came after an Iranian retaliatory strike on a Saudi petrochemical facility in Jubail triggered fury in Riyadh and threatened to upend weeks of delicate back-channel diplomacy.

With a public deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump looming and the President warning that continued fighting risked catastrophic consequences, Pakistani civilian and military leaders launched a frantic overnight effort. Their goal: to shuttle messages between the capitals and secure a pause in hostilities. The effort involved direct contact with top officials including President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and senior Revolutionary Guards commanders.

"In the evening, Iran was on thin ice after the attacks on Saudi Arabia, but they knew there would be no extension to the deadline," the first Pakistani source said. Complicating Pakistan's role was its mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia, which prompted Islamabad to convey its "strongest ever anger" to Tehran over the Jubail strike, even as it worked to bring Iran to the table.

A critical obstacle was Israel's military campaign. Pakistani officials told Washington that continued Israeli strikes on Iranian targets were jeopardizing the peace effort. Only after receiving assurances that Israel would hold back was Pakistan able to persuade Tehran to agree to a temporary ceasefire without preconditions, a move a third source called "the hardest part of the process."

Israeli officials, while ultimately stating they would support President Trump's decision, had privately pressed against a deal, believing more could be achieved militarily to weaken Iran's leadership. In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel's "finger is on the trigger," stating goals could be achieved through talks or resumed fighting.

The late-night negotiations grappled with a 15-point U.S. proposal and core questions about the ceasefire's terms. Iranian demands, including sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, were set aside for the forthcoming talks. The White House announced the U.S. delegation would be led by Vice President Vance, with Iran indicating a willingness to discuss its stockpiles of enriched uranium.

Minutes before Trump's social media announcement of the breakthrough, he was on the phone with Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. Shortly after, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly urged all parties to observe the ceasefire—a coordinated move to lock in the agreement. "We have been working throughout the night," Sharif told his cabinet later. "...if we turn it into a book it will serve as a big lesson... about how not to give up in a hopeless situation."

Reaction & Analysis

Dr. Anya Sharma, Senior Fellow at the Gulf States Institute: "Pakistan's role here is a classic example of crisis diplomacy by a regional stakeholder with ties to all sides. Their leverage came from a unique mix: deep security ties with Riyadh, a working relationship with Tehran, and a channel to Washington. However, this ceasefire is merely a pause. The fundamental issues—nuclear capabilities, regional hegemony, security guarantees—remain entirely unresolved."

Markus Berg, Political Risk Analyst in Berlin: "The sequence is telling. Iran's strike on Saudi soil was a high-risk bid to gain leverage before the deadline, demonstrating that even during secret talks, the conflict risked spiraling. The fact that it nearly worked shows how fragile any détente will be. The coming negotiations will be a minefield of preconditions and historical grievances."

Senator James O'Connell (R-AZ), via spokesperson: "This is a disastrous pause that only allows the Iranian regime to regroup and rearm. We are rewarding aggression. The administration must clarify that sanctions pressure remains maximal and that any final deal must permanently end Iran's nuclear ambitions and its sponsorship of terror—nothing less."

Fatima Al-Jubran, Commentator for The Arab Weekly: "What a farce! The so-called 'mediator,' Pakistan, is treaty-bound to defend the nation Iran just attacked. This isn't diplomacy; it's theater. The U.S. and Israel bomb Iran for weeks, then demand talks from a position of 'strength' they created through violence. This ceasefire legitimizes the assault and sets the stage for more dictated terms, not peace. The people of the region are pawns in this game."

Reporting by Asif Shahzad and Saad Sayeed in Islamabad, Ariba Shahid in Karachi, Alexander Cornwell in Tel Aviv, Humeyra Pamuk in Budapest, Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Timour Azhari in Dubai and Ethan Wang in Beijing; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Ros Russell and Chizu Nomiyama.

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