UN Chief Visits Pakistan, Praises Its US-Iran Mediation Role

UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Islamabad on October 6 for a three-day visit, meeting Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar to discuss Pakistan's mediation efforts between the United States and Iran alongside Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan and UN Security Council reform.⁶³

Mediation between Washington and Tehran

Guterres traveled to Pakistan after being invited by Dar, and Middle East Eye reported that the trip would address Islamabad's diplomatic work mediating between Tehran and Washington.⁶

Guterres said Pakistan's standing with both nations made it possible for talks to begin and tensions to ease. He said: "What Pakistan has done in relation to the conflict in the Gulf, namely between the US and Iran, is a remarkable initiative," adding, "Pakistan has been an extremely important example of mediation."⁴⁵

Geo News and Daily Pakistan reported that Islamabad's diplomacy played a role in producing both the June 17 memorandum of understanding and the ceasefire that came afterward. Dar said: "Pakistan's diplomatic efforts had brought the US and Iran into direct dialogue after 47 years."⁴⁵

According to Arab News, Islamabad served as the venue for senior US-Iran talks once fighting broke out in late February, and Pakistan assisted in brokering a June agreement meant to stop the violence, even as the outlet noted the Strait of Hormuz has stayed shut.⁷

Kashmir, Palestine and Afghanistan

The Hindu said the Dar-Guterres discussion touched on Palestine, Jammu and Kashmir, Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and multilateral cooperation, during which Dar laid out Pakistan's stance on Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty for Guterres.³⁸

Geo News and Daily Pakistan reported that Dar condemned New Delhi's move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, describing it as a breach of international law. The Hindu reported, as a single-sourced account, that India placed the treaty in abeyance as a punitive measure after the Pahalgam attack, which it said killed 26 civilians, and that India maintains Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country.³⁴⁵

Guterres remarked that he had never witnessed such widespread death and devastation in Gaza during his time leading the UN, and The Diplomatic Insight reported him emphasizing that durable peace in the region depends on recognizing Palestinian self-determination.⁴⁵⁸

UN reform and Pakistan's record

Guterres argued that the Security Council's composition is outdated and fails to reflect the modern world, pointing out that Africa holds zero permanent seats compared to Europe's three. He also acknowledged Pakistan's struggle against terrorism and its hosting of Afghan refugees, and recalled that more than 180 Pakistani peacekeepers have lost their lives in UN service.⁴⁵

Geo News and Daily Pakistan reported that 156 nations co-sponsored Security Council Resolution 2823, a record for any such resolution, while TezKhabar said Pakistan has made dialogue and mediation a core focus of its two-year term on the Security Council.⁴⁵⁹

Guterres pointed back to Pakistan's devastating 2022 floods and commended its resilience in the face of climate change, observing that the country bears some of the heaviest climate impacts even though it emits only a small share of global emissions, compared with roughly 80 percent produced by G20 nations.⁴⁵

Wider strain from the Iran war

Separately, Qatar's foreign ministry said mediation contacts between Washington and Tehran are continuing. Ibrahim Al-Hashmi said: "I can confirm that the talks are continuing and the exchange of messages between different parties are continuing via Qatar." In a claim reported from a single source, Qatar's foreign ministry also said every country on earth is bearing the costs of the Iran war and that the resulting economic pressure has become intolerable.¹

According to Euronews, the war has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and supplies of fertiliser ingredients, helium and aluminium. The report additionally noted that a defense pact formed August 7 between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan – known as the Mecca alliance – led the three nations to agree at a Riyadh meeting on Monday to put their mutual defense obligations into effect following Houthi strikes on Saudi territory, religious sites and civilian infrastructure, allegations the Houthis rejected. Qatar has detained three Iranian military pilots since March, and search teams have recovered the remains of one, Euronews reported.¹

Gulf News quoted California Governor Gavin Newsom as stating: "Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego. He is deranged and dangerous." White House spokesman Steven Cheung pushed back, saying: "He was clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn't been stopped." The same report noted that the US Treasury cautioned foreign banks they could face sanctions for conducting business with Iran, and that Trump issued an executive order permitting tax-exempt dyed diesel to be used on highways through year's end, coming after US Central Command rerouted 130 commercial ships following its July resumption of a naval blockade on Iranian ports.²