Diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent settlement to the Iran conflict intensified over the weekend as Persian Gulf nations and Pakistan stepped up negotiations aimed at transforming the fragile ceasefire into a long-term peace agreement.
The renewed push came as Donald Trump again suggested the war could soon come to an end, while regional governments increased pressure on Washington to prioritize diplomacy over renewed military action.
At the center of the latest negotiations is Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief, who has emerged as a key intermediary between the United States and Iran during the crisis.
Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday and held extensive discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that reportedly continued late into the night and resumed on Saturday.
According to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency, Munir also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry separately confirmed that Araghchi conducted discussions with officials from Oman, Turkey, Qatar, and Iraq, as well as with António Guterres.
The flurry of diplomatic activity reflects growing urgency among regional governments seeking to prevent a return to large-scale hostilities that previously destabilized energy markets and threatened broader conflict across the Middle East.
The current ceasefire was reached six weeks ago after intense fighting erupted when the United States and Israel launched coordinated air strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting countries across the Persian Gulf region and beyond.
Thousands of people were killed during the conflict, with the majority of casualties reported inside Iran.
Although the truce halted the immediate fighting, negotiators have struggled to secure a permanent settlement.
That uncertainty has kept international energy markets under pressure, with oil prices remaining above US$100 per barrel amid fears of renewed conflict and supply disruptions.
Regional governments have become increasingly concerned about the economic consequences of another escalation.
According to several sources familiar with the discussions, the United Arab Emirates has joined Qatar and Saudi Arabia in urging Trump to allow additional time for negotiations rather than approving further military operations.
The Gulf states fear that renewed hostilities could once again destabilize energy exports, maritime trade routes, and investor confidence across the region.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Trump has alternated between optimistic statements suggesting a peace agreement is near and warnings that military action could resume if negotiations fail.
Speaking at a rally in New York on Friday, Trump declared that the war would be over “soon.”
He also linked the diplomatic process directly to global oil prices.
“Oil prices are going to tumble as soon as I finish up with Iran,” Trump said during the rally.
At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged only limited progress in negotiations.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting of foreign ministers from members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Sweden, Rubio said discussions had shown signs of movement but remained far from a comprehensive resolution.
“I don’t want to exaggerate it, but there’s been a little bit of movement, and that’s good,” Rubio said.
Iranian media also reported cautious optimism surrounding the negotiations.
Tasnim news agency cited a source close to Tehran’s negotiating team as saying that more progress had been achieved compared with previous rounds of talks.
However, the source stressed that no agreement would be finalized until all disputed issues were resolved.
Iranian officials continued publicly defending the country’s negotiating position while warning against renewed military threats from Washington.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency quoted Defense Ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik as saying Trump would eventually have to accept Iran’s demands and recognize Tehran’s rights.
He accused the US president of aligning too closely with Israel and warned that renewed conflict would drag Washington deeper into war.
Meanwhile, reports from Axios and CBS News indicated that Trump was considering another possible round of military strikes, although no final decision had reportedly been made.
Iranian officials responded with fresh warnings.
State-run IRIB News quoted parliamentary speaker Ghalibaf as saying Iran’s military forces had rebuilt their capabilities during the ceasefire and would respond more aggressively if the conflict resumed.
“Our armed forces, during the ceasefire period, have rebuilt themselves in a way that if Trump acts recklessly and restarts the war, the response to the US will certainly be more decisive and more bitter than the first days of the war,” Ghalibaf said following his meeting with Munir.
The prospect of renewed conflict has also become increasingly sensitive domestically inside the United States.
Rising gasoline prices tied to instability in the Middle East have fueled growing public anxiety.
Several recent opinion polls have shown concern among American voters about the economic impact of prolonged military involvement in the region.
Those concerns are particularly significant as the United States approaches midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
Energy security remains one of the central obstacles to diplomacy.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for oil and gas exports, has remained partially disrupted since the war began.
Control over maritime traffic through the strait has become a major point of contention in negotiations.
Another key issue is Iran’s nuclear program.
The United States has repeatedly insisted that it will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons and wants Tehran to halt uranium enrichment activities for at least a decade.
Iran has rejected those demands publicly while maintaining that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes.
Negotiators have struggled to bridge those differences despite weeks of indirect talks.
Analysts believe any immediate agreement would likely be temporary rather than comprehensive.
Political risk consultancy Eurasia Group said in a recent assessment that a diplomatic agreement remains slightly more likely than renewed escalation, although the margin remains narrow.
According to the consultancy, a possible deal reached this weekend would likely function as an interim arrangement extending the ceasefire by another 30 days while allowing negotiators additional time to address unresolved disputes.
Those unresolved issues include Iran’s nuclear activities, regional security guarantees, sanctions relief, and maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the uncertainty, regional governments appear increasingly determined to avoid another devastating conflict.
The involvement of Gulf nations and Pakistan highlights growing concern that a collapse in diplomacy could trigger broader instability across the Middle East and severely damage the global economy.
For now, negotiators continue attempting to convert the fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace agreement before tensions once again spiral into open warfare.
