Pakistani Foreign Minister’s visit comes as Islamabad intensifies diplomatic engagement to secure a permanent peace arrangement to end the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to Washington on Friday for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday.
The visit takes place amid Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to negotiate a long-term peace arrangement aimed at ending the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, Dar and Rubio are expected to discuss bilateral relations as well as major regional and international developments.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” the statement said.
The trip comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions in West Asia, with several regional powers engaged in diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation following recent military confrontations involving Iran, Israel and the United States.
Pakistan has recently positioned itself as an active diplomatic interlocutor in discussions surrounding regional stability and de-escalation efforts.
Since the war began, authorities say at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and at least 2,496 people in Lebanon, where new fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah broke out two days after the Iran war started.
Meanwhile, United States Senator Lindsey Graham has questioned Pakistan’s credibility as a potential mediator between Washington and Tehran, arguing that Islamabad cannot be viewed as a neutral actor because of its historical opposition to Israel.
In a post on social media, the Republican senator expressed concern over reports suggesting that Iranian military aircraft were being kept at Pakistani air bases amid escalating regional tensions.
Graham also criticised remarks made by Pakistani leaders regarding Israel, describing them as troubling in the context of Islamabad’s reported diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran.
“Pakistan cannot be considered a neutral mediator when it has long opposed Israel,” Graham said, while calling on Islamabad to clarify its position on US President Donald Trump’s push for countries to join the Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords, first brokered during Trump’s presidency, were aimed at normalising diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
Graham urged Pakistan to publicly respond to Trump’s appeal regarding the accords, suggesting that Islamabad’s stance on Israel and regional security would be closely watched in Washington.
The senator’s comments come as Pakistan has stepped up diplomatic outreach amid ongoing tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, with Islamabad reportedly exploring possibilities for de-escalation and dialogue.
With inputs from agencies
First Published:
May 28, 2026, 20:48 IST
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