ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and Iran leaders discussed current Hormuz crisis with focus on keeping commercial shipping moving and preventing already volatile regional conflict from spilling deeper into the global economy.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that uninterrupted energy supplies and the safe, speedy passage of commercial vessels had become urgent priorities. Dar also stressed the disproportionate impact of the disruption on developing economies and global supply chains, while reiterating Islamabad’s position that diplomacy and dialogue remain essential to restoring regional stability.
The two sides agreed to remain in close contact and to meet in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The latest diplomatic contact comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains dramatically below pre-conflict levels, placing renewed focus on Pakistan’s increasingly important relationship with Tehran.
Before the conflict erupted around Feb. 28 following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, an estimated 100–125 large commercial vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz each day, carrying roughly 20% of global crude oil and LNG supplies.
The disruption has extended beyond Hormuz, with shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait also facing pressure. The result is a maritime bottleneck with consequences far beyond the Gulf: energy supplies, freight routes, commodity markets and developing economies are all exposed to the continuing uncertainty.
Tehran has not formally treated the strait as completely closed. Instead, Tehran has operated what has effectively become a permissions-based passage system, under which selected vessels can cross following coordination with Iranian military and naval authorities.
Pakistan has emerged as one of the countries receiving special consideration. In late March, Iranian authorities agreed to permit an additional 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to transit Hormuz, with two ships allowed to cross each day.
Dar welcomed the move at the time, calling it a “welcome and constructive gesture” and a “harbinger of peace.” Pakistan has relatively few nationally flagged vessels operating in the Gulf, prompting authorities to encourage international commodity traders to temporarily register ships under the Pakistani flag so they could make use of the available passage arrangements.
Several Pakistani vessels had already secured individual permission to cross earlier in the conflict, including the tanker MT Karachi/Lorax. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi has repeatedly said that safe commercial passage remains possible when shipping movements are coordinated with Iranian armed forces and naval authorities.
Tehran, however, has continued to attribute part of the disruption to what it describes as a US naval blockade, while maintaining that Hormuz remains open under Iranian oversight. As maritime restrictions intensified, Islamabad began looking beyond the Gulf.
Pakistan revived a dormant 2008 arrangement allowing Iran-bound cargo to move through Pakistani territory. Cargo could be routed through Pakistani ports and the Gabd-Rimdan border crossing in Balochistan, creating an alternative supply line for goods stranded by maritime disruption.
For Pakistan, the strategy shows scale of the crisis: when the traditional maritime route became increasingly uncertain, Islamabad turned to its land border and transport infrastructure to keep regional commerce alive.
Pakistan’s involvement in the crisis has not stopped at shipping. Islamabad has also attempted to position itself as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, facilitating indirect contacts and supporting diplomatic proposals intended to halt the fighting.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir have been involved in these efforts. A June 2026 memorandum of understanding was among the initiatives aimed at establishing a pathway toward ending hostilities. Proposals included reopening Hormuz and lifting the US naval blockade.
