As tensions tighten around the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints — Pakistan has cast itself as an unlikely intermediary between the US and Iran.
Alongside that diplomatic positioning, Islamabad recently announced what it is presenting as more than just a bilateral shipping arrangement.
In a post on X, Pakistan’s foreign minister Ishaq Dar said the country had negotiated an understanding with Iran that would allow it to move 20 vessels “under the Pakistani flag” through the strait. Under the proposal, two Pakistan-flagged ships can cross the strait each day.
