Naqvi-Baker talks keep Islamabad in play for next US-Iran round

Pakistan’s diplomatic push to keep US-Iran engagement alive entered a new phase on Wednesday when Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker in Islamabad. The meeting came at a sensitive moment, with uncertainty hanging over whether a second round of direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran can still be held in the Pakistani capital after the latest delay.

According to the interior ministry, both sides reviewed the fast-changing regional situation and discussed efforts to preserve momentum for another round of talks. The conversation reflected Islamabad’s continuing attempt to keep lines of communication open even as mistrust between the United States and Iran remains high and the path back to formal dialogue looks increasingly fragile.

The talks took place after the expected arrival of the American negotiating team was put off and Tehran stopped short of confirming its participation. That hesitation has raised fresh doubts about whether Islamabad can host the next phase of diplomacy on schedule. At the centre of the impasse are unresolved tensions over Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the US pressure campaign around Iranian ports, both of which continue to complicate the atmosphere for any renewed contact.

Pakistani officials used the meeting to signal that they still see diplomacy as the only realistic way forward. Naqvi welcomed the recent ceasefire extension backed by US President Donald Trump and said the pause had created useful space for de-escalation. He also conveyed hope that Iran would respond positively and allow a diplomatic track to move ahead, while stressing that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir were fully engaged in efforts to prevent another escalation.

The significance of the Islamabad meeting lies in the fact that Pakistan is trying to remain more than a passive venue. Its role has increasingly resembled that of a facilitator seeking to reduce mistrust, encourage contact and keep a narrow negotiating window from closing. In practical terms, that means maintaining communication with both capitals, offering security assurances, and projecting itself as a credible intermediary at a time when direct US-Iran engagement is politically difficult for both sides.

This week’s diplomacy builds on groundwork already laid earlier in the month. The first round of direct US-Iran talks in Islamabad was held on April 11 and 12 after a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire on April 8 helped reduce immediate tensions. Those earlier talks did not produce a breakthrough, but they also did not collapse, which allowed Pakistan to keep arguing that sustained engagement was still possible if both sides were given time and political space.

Naqvi’s latest contact with Baker also followed his earlier meetings with both American and Iranian representatives to discuss preparations for a second round. In those exchanges, Pakistani authorities had already highlighted the special security arrangements being planned for foreign delegations. That detail matters because Islamabad is trying to demonstrate not only diplomatic usefulness but also operational readiness, a key factor when hosting talks tied to a highly volatile regional dispute.

For Pakistan, the stakes go well beyond diplomatic prestige. Continued instability in the Gulf has direct consequences for Pakistan’s economy, energy security and regional standing. Any disruption linked to the Strait of Hormuz can quickly affect fuel supplies, transport costs and inflation pressures at home. At the same time, successful mediation would strengthen Islamabad’s image as a state capable of playing a constructive role in a major international crisis rather than merely reacting to external shocks.

The next few days will be decisive. Trump has indicated that another round of talks could still take place within a short window, but Tehran has not committed itself publicly in clear terms. Pakistan now faces the challenge of converting its access to both sides into an actual meeting timetable. If that effort succeeds, Islamabad will reinforce its value as a diplomatic bridge; if it fails, the country may still earn credit for trying to keep a dangerous confrontation from sliding further toward open breakdown.