By Hosting Tehran-Washington Talks, Pakistan Put Itself Back on the Map

To Oshrit Birvadker, it’s too soon to tell which of the several combatants emerged victorious from the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran. But she is certain that Pakistan came out ahead because of its role in mediating between Washington and Tehran. Strategically, Pakistan is in an odd position: its two closest allies are China and Saudi Arabia and it maintains relatively good relations with America. It also fought a brief conflict with Iran in January 2024. And those who paid attention to the long U.S. war in Afghanistan remember Pakistan’s duplicity as an ally against the Taliban.