Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir meet US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC on September 25, 2025. Photo: Handout
United States President Donald Trump was all praise for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, on Friday, following a breakthrough in Iran’s announcement to open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels.
In a post on Truth Social, he said: “Thank you to Pakistan and its great prime minister and field marshal, two fantastic people!”
The US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on February 28, killing dozens of top military officials, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, before a two-week ceasefire was mediated by Pakistan earlier this week.
Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, and restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for oil and gas shipments.
Fighting later spread to Lebanon after Israel launched an offensive there, widening the conflict, as the United States and Israel continued attacks on Iran.
As the conflict continued to expand and intensify, Pakistan emerged as a mediator alongside other regional powers in the escalating crisis. As the negotiation process began, the United States and Iran exchanged their respective positions, but early discussions yielded no progress. However, following sustained diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, both sides agreed to hold talks in Islamabad last week.
But, Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement in Islamabad over the weekend during talks that were part of broader efforts to end the conflict.
Later, Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which took effect at 1400GMT Monday.
Although the talks ended without a breakthrough, they left a measure of hope, with both parties indicating a willingness to continue negotiations. Efforts resumed this week, with Trump expressing optimism about reaching a deal soon.
With another round of dialogue expected as early as this weekend, Iran took a step toward de-escalation by announcing the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz to all commercial shipping.
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More to follow.
