Pakistani Foreign Ministry Discusses Nuclear Issue with Tehran and Washington

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday that the nuclear issue is among the topics being discussed in ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington, lending a rare public acknowledgment from Islamabad to a sensitive diplomatic track that has drawn close attention across the Gulf. A ministry spokesperson told reporters in Islamabad that Pakistan is monitoring the negotiations with interest and remains supportive of any diplomatic channel that reduces regional tensions, without specifying the extent of Pakistani involvement or whether Islamabad is playing a direct mediating role.

The disclosure comes as indirect and direct contacts between Iranian and American officials have resumed in recent weeks through a combination of third-party intermediaries and technical meetings, with regional capitals including Muscat and Doha historically serving as quiet venues for such exchanges. Pakistani officials have long argued that nuclear diplomacy between Tehran and the West has direct implications for South Asia's strategic balance, given Pakistan's own nuclear posture and its lengthy western border with Iran.

The Iranian nuclear file has grown increasingly urgent since the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action unraveled following the first Trump administration's 2018 withdrawal. International Atomic Energy Agency reports in recent months have flagged higher levels of uranium enrichment at Iranian facilities, while Tehran has insisted its program remains peaceful and governed by a religious edict against nuclear weapons issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

For Gulf states, the renewed Iran-United States dialogue carries significant stakes. A diplomatic breakthrough could ease maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Gulf, through which roughly a fifth of global oil passes. Qatar, which maintains working relationships with both Tehran and Washington and shares the world's largest natural gas field with Iran, has repeatedly emphasized diplomacy as the only viable path to regional stability. Doha has hosted quiet talks between adversaries in previous rounds and has publicly welcomed any process that prevents escalation.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which have moved to normalize ties with Iran in recent years under Chinese and regional mediation, have also signaled support for a negotiated outcome over military confrontation. Israeli officials, by contrast, have continued to press Washington for a tougher posture and have not ruled out unilateral action against Iranian nuclear sites.

Pakistan's comments underscore how widely the ripple effects of the Iran-US file are felt. Islamabad shares a 909-kilometer border with Iran, hosts a large Shia minority population, and relies on cross-border trade and energy cooperation with Tehran. Analysts in the region noted that Pakistani acknowledgment of the nuclear track, even in general terms, suggests Islamabad is being briefed at some level by one or both parties, a reflection of its strategic weight in broader Muslim-world diplomacy.