Steady Diplomacy

No agreement came out of the Islamabad talks, but that does not mean the effort failed. A ceasefire that Pakistan helped secure is still holding, and that matters more than the absence of an immediate deal. After years of hostility, the United States and Iran met directly in Islamabad for nearly 21 hours and left the door open for further engagement. That is not a final settlement, but it is a real step away from escalation.

The public posture of both sides remains hard. Washington wants to show pressure worked. Tehran wants to show it did not bend. That is expected. It is also beside the main point. Diplomacy between Iran and the United States was never going to produce quick results, especially in the middle of a conflict that had already threatened shipping, energy markets and regional stability. Iran’s negotiating style has always been slow, layered and deliberate. Progress, in such cases, is measured less by dramatic announcements than by whether talks continue and whether the guns stay silent. For now, both conditions still hold.

Pakistan’s role deserves attention for that reason. Islamabad did not solve the crisis in one sitting, but it created space for negotiation at a moment when the alternative was wider war. That is a serious diplomatic achievement. Pakistan, along with other states willing to keep channels open, now has to help preserve that space. The aim should be clear: extend the ceasefire, narrow the list of disputes, and keep both sides at the table long enough for a framework to emerge. Peace in this region will not come through one grand bargain. It will come through pressure, patience and repeated engagement.

The main obstacle is Israel. Its continued attacks on Lebanon are not a separate issue unfolding on the margins. They are part of the same crisis and a direct threat to any wider de-escalation. At a time when mediators are trying to reduce tensions, Israeli military action risks widening the conflict, inflaming public opinion and weakening those arguing for restraint. It is difficult to build momentum for diplomacy in one arena while violence is being sustained in another.

That is why the international response cannot be selective. States that support dialogue between Washington and Tehran should be equally firm in condemning actions that undermine the broader peace process. Lebanon cannot be treated as collateral to some larger strategic game. If there is to be a lasting settlement, regional stability has to be approached as a whole.

The Islamabad talks did not end this crisis. But they showed that diplomacy is still possible, that Pakistan can still play a constructive role, and that the path away from war remains open. That path now needs protection, not sabotage.