After delaying the ultimatum on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by five days, Donald Trump appears to be moving towards de-escalation in the war against Iran. The American president claims that negotiations have begun with the regime in Tehran, even though they still seem to be in a preliminary stage.
Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt are serving as intermediaries. The foreign ministers of these three countries have separately met with Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian counterpart, and Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy. The president’s emissary, who led discussions on Ukraine and Gaza, is once again at the forefront. Steve Witkoff has also had direct exchanges with Abbas Araghchi.
“Ghalibaf, the most powerful man in Iran”
Pakistan has expressed readiness to host discussions between the United States and Iran. Pakistani diplomacy is working to organize a summit in Islamabad. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, could meet with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the President of the Iranian Parliament. The power of this regime pillar has strengthened further since the assassination of numerous senior Iranian officials in American and Israeli strikes on Tehran.
“Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf benefits from the disappearance of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who remains in the shadows and whose fate remains uncertain. The son and successor of Ali Khamenei has not appeared in public or in video since his appointment, probably after being injured in the attack that cost his father’s life. A meeting with J.D. Vance, the American vice president, is also mentioned but seems very unlikely.”
“The strengths of Pakistan”
Pakistan’s role as a mediator is explained by the close ties its leaders have maintained with the United States since Donald Trump returned to the White House. The country has advantages in playing the role of intermediary. As a neighbor of Iran, it is Muslim and not Arab and does not host any American military base. Donald Trump cannot rely on mediation from Gulf countries that host American bases and are targeted by Iranian strikes.
“Can these very hypothetical negotiations reduce tension? Despite the regime’s decapitation and military pressure, Iran was burnt by the failure of previous diplomatic discussions with the United States in 2025 and early 2026. ‘There is still no sign of a ceasefire or an agreement to solve long-term problems, including the fate of uranium stocks in Iran or the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,’ emphasizes Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, in the New York Times. The announcement of discussions with Iran also serves another purpose: Donald Trump is seeking to buy time and lower the fever that has gripped the oil and gas markets.”
