Financial Times Report Uncovers Pakistan’s Pivotal Role in Iran US Ceasefire

ISLAMABAD: A bombshell report by Britain’s Financial Times has lifted the lid on secret American pressure on Pakistan to coax Iran into a temporary ceasefire before the historic two-week truce was announced.

The disclosure reveals Washington’s dual-track strategy during the crisis.

Publicly, President Donald Trump issued stern warnings and claimed Tehran was desperate for any deal.

Behind the scenes, his administration worked frantically through back channels to prevent full-scale escalation.

For several weeks American officials maintained intense diplomatic contact with Islamabad.

They urged Pakistan to use its unique position as a Muslim-majority neighbour to persuade Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The narrow waterway carries roughly 21 million barrels of oil every day.

That volume equals 21 per cent of all seaborne crude traded globally, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Any prolonged closure could have triggered an immediate 40 to 50 per cent surge in world oil prices and inflicted daily losses exceeding one billion dollars on the global economy.

Pakistan accepted the delicate assignment and delivered results.

As a neutral Muslim state sharing a long border with Iran, Islamabad was seen as the ideal honest broker.

Senior sources told the Financial Times that Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir personally led the back-channel effort.

His quiet diplomacy proved decisive in breaking the deadlock.

The breakthrough came on Tuesday night when the United States, Israel and Iran jointly announced a two-week ceasefire.

Regional analysts immediately hailed the agreement as the most significant de-escalation in the Middle East in years.

Hours earlier, after Trump’s self-imposed deadline expired, Field Marshal Munir placed a series of high-level calls.

He spoke directly with President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

The message was clear: an offer framed by a neutral Muslim neighbour would carry greater weight in Tehran than one delivered by Washington alone.

Munir then held direct talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The conversation focused on restoring shipping lanes and lowering tensions without loss of face for any side.

Within hours Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to social media platform X to announce the two-week truce proposal.

Sharif described the deal as a Pakistani initiative born of Islamabad’s commitment to regional stability.

In an embarrassing technical slip, the top of his post still displayed the internal label “Draft — Pakistani Prime Minister’s Message on X”.

The error quickly went viral yet underscored the speed and secrecy of the final hours of negotiation.

Pakistani officials later confirmed that the entire operation rested on months of quiet trust-building between Islamabad, Tehran and Washington.

Defence analysts note that Pakistan’s armed forces maintained strict neutrality throughout the flare-up.

This stance allowed Munir’s team to operate with credibility on both sides of the divide.

The ceasefire has already begun easing pressure on global energy markets.

Oil futures dropped nearly six per cent in early Asian trading following the announcement.

Shipping companies have signalled plans to resume full operations through the Strait of Hormuz within days.

Experts warn, however, that the truce remains fragile and requires sustained diplomatic follow-up.

Pakistan’s success has drawn quiet praise from Western capitals.

It has also reinforced Islamabad’s image as a responsible actor capable of delivering results in high-stakes crises.

Regional observers say the episode highlights a new pattern in Pakistani foreign policy.

Under Field Marshal Munir’s strategic guidance, the country is leveraging geography, military stature and diplomatic networks to shape outcomes far beyond its borders.

The Financial Times report ends with a telling detail.

American officials privately acknowledged that without Pakistan’s intervention the ceasefire might never have materialised in time.

The revelation is now being studied in foreign ministries across the Gulf and Europe.

For Islamabad, the episode marks a rare public validation of its quiet power in one of the world’s most volatile regions.