Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has blamed Israel of undermining Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to facilitate ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran, claiming military action against Tehran came just as both sides were preparing to enter formal talks.

Speaking in the Senate, Dar said Pakistan had been actively engaged in behind-the-scenes diplomacy aimed at bringing Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table, adding that both countries had agreed in principle to talks to be hosted in Islamabad.

According to the foreign minister, optimism surrounding the proposed dialogue was high until recent developments abruptly halted progress.

Dar told lawmakers that Pakistan had served as an intermediary by conveying proposals between the two sides, including delivering a 15-point set of conditions from the United States to Iran and transmitting Tehran’s five-point response back to Washington.

He said both parties had reached a stage where direct engagement appeared imminent before tensions escalated following Israel’s strike on Tehran.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA also reported that Tehran communicated its response to a US proposal through Pakistan after weeks of high-level consultations, indicating Islamabad’s role as a diplomatic channel between the longtime adversaries.

The foreign minister’s remarks highlight Pakistan’s attempt to position itself as a regional mediator at a time of heightened Middle East tensions, even as escalating hostilities threaten broader diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing conflict between Iran and the United States.