Pakistan and Qatar on Thursday escalated diplomatic efforts to salvage the fragile peace process between Iran and the United States after a fresh military escalation threatened to derail the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which had ended months of hostilities. The crisis erupted after the United States launched a new wave of strikes on Iranian military targets, claiming the attacks were in response to Iran's assault on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting US military installations in the Gulf, raising fears of an all-out war.
Army Chief's Phone Call with Iranian Foreign Minister
Amid the rapidly deteriorating security situation, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held a telephone conversation on Thursday evening with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. According to Iran's official news agency IRNA, Araghchi strongly condemned the latest US military strikes, describing them as a "clear violation" of the UN Charter and the Islamabad MoU. He said statements by senior US officials indicating they were no longer bound by the agreement amounted to an admission that Washington had breached the accord. The Iranian foreign minister also reiterated Tehran's determination to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security, warning against what he termed further US "adventurism." Pakistan has not yet issued an official readout of the conversation.
Islamabad's Diplomatic Push
The phone call came as Islamabad intensified behind-the-scenes diplomacy to prevent the peace process from unravelling. On Wednesday, the Foreign Office expressed "deep concern" over the renewed violence, urging all sides to exercise restraint and honour their commitments under the Islamabad MoU. "There is no alternative to continued engagement, dialogue and diplomacy," the Foreign Office said, warning that renewed conflict served no one's interest. Diplomatic sources said Pakistan and Qatar, the two principal facilitators of the June peace agreement, remain in close contact with both Tehran and Washington in an effort to restore the ceasefire and resume negotiations on outstanding issues, including maritime security, sanctions relief and implementation of the MoU.
Background of the Escalation
The latest flare-up began after three commercial vessels, including a Qatari LNG tanker, came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by targeting international shipping, prompting President Donald Trump to declare that the truce was effectively over before authorising fresh military strikes against Iranian targets. Iran, however, insists the US was the first to violate the agreement by attacking Iranian territory. Tehran maintains that only routes designated by Iranian authorities are authorised for commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a position rejected by Washington and several regional states.
Future of the Islamabad MoU
The renewed hostilities have cast serious doubt over the future of the Islamabad MoU, signed in June after weeks of painstaking negotiations brokered by Pakistan with strong support from Qatar. The agreement was designed as an interim framework to halt military operations and create conditions for negotiations on broader political and security issues. Diplomatic observers say the coming days will be critical for the future of the agreement. While neither Tehran nor Washington has formally withdrawn from the MoU, both sides now accuse the other of violating its provisions, making the task of mediators increasingly difficult. Despite the sharp escalation, Pakistani officials remain hopeful that sustained diplomatic engagement can prevent a complete collapse of the peace process. Officials believe that maintaining communication channels with both capitals remains essential to containing the crisis and steering the parties back towards negotiations before the conflict spirals into another full-scale regional confrontation.
