Pakistan’s global diplomatic standing soars: Masood

Former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, China and the United Nations, and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan has said that Pakistan’s successful mediation between the United States and Iran has elevated the country to the front ranks of international diplomacy, establishing it as a trusted peacemaker with growing influence across West Asia. Speaking in an international television interview, he said Pakistan’s diplomatic achievement is unprecedented, as it successfully brought together two adversaries that had remained hostile for nearly five decades. He noted that Islamabad hosted the first face-to-face talks between Washington and Tehran, followed by sustained backchannel diplomacy that ultimately resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending hostilities and launching a structured process for a broader political settlement. Sardar Masood Khan said that when differences emerged immediately after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding over the implementation of a comprehensive ceasefire, particularly concerning developments on the Lebanese front, Pakistan once again stepped forward to prevent the diplomatic process from collapsing. Working closely with Qatar, Pakistan facilitated emergency consultations that helped preserve momentum and keep negotiations on track. He described the ongoing negotiations as a decisive phase that will determine the success of the broader peace process. According to him, the next sixty days will focus on reaching a comprehensive nuclear agreement, sanctions relief for Iran, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and other technical issues essential for achieving durable regional stability. Highlighting Pakistan’s leadership during the mediation process, Sardar Masood Khan said the close coordination between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir played a decisive role in advancing negotiations.