The messenger or the mediator? Deconstructing Pak's role in US-Iran ceasefire

To understand why Pakistan found itself at the centre of this geopolitical manoeuvring, one must look at the historical architecture of its bilateral relationship with Iran. Aparna Pande, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, DC, notes that shared geography and demographics afford Islamabad a unique utility. On Tuesday, President Trump heralded a precarious diplomatic breakthrough: a two-week ceasefire designed to secure the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. According to the initial framing of the announcement, the pause in hostilities followe... [6102 chars]