Afghanistan, April 13 -- The world watched with a mixture of relief and surprise on April 8 when the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with Pakistan credited as the "mediator" that made it possible. Islamabad's standing rose overnight in the diplomatic arena. Field Marshal Asim Munir received much of the credit, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received congratulatory calls from Macron, Erdogan, and the UN Secretary-General. However, beyond the optics, a more complex picture emerges, in which Pakistan functioned less as a mediator shaping outcomes and more as a well-positioned courier carrying messages between two major powers, the United States and China.
Pakistan reportedly delivered a 15-point US proposal to Iran o...