New Delhi, April 9 -- Following the announcement of a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, veteran diplomat Vidya Bhushan Soni has cautioned against overestimating Pakistan's diplomatic influence, characterising its role as merely a messenger rather than a strategic negotiator.

In a conversation with ANI, Soni addressed claims by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding Islamabad's participation in upcoming peace meetings. Soni suggested that while Pakistan may present itself as a central peacemaker, its actual function is far more limited.

He noted that the US is "catching at straws," engaging with any available channel due to a lack of better alternatives, even as independent efforts outside of Islamabad continue.

"R...