Dar arrives in Washington for talks with US Secretary Rubio | The Express Tribune

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Pakistan’s “sincere diplomatic and mediatory efforts” for peace and stability in the region during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Washington on Friday, as talks between Washington and Tehran appeared to move closer to a deal.

The meeting came as US President Donald Trump announced in a social media post the end of the country’s naval blockade of Iran and said he would meet in the White House Situation Room to make a final decision on a possible agreement with Tehran.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, DPM Dar held a bilateral meeting with Secretary Rubio in Washington DC.

“The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the positive momentum in the Pak-US bilateral relations and exchanged views on the evolving regional and global situation,” the statement said.

It added that Secretary Rubio acknowledged Pakistan’s “sincere diplomatic and mediatory efforts for peace and stability in the region and beyond”.

Read: Trump announces end of Iran naval blockade, says now making ‘final determination’ on deal

The statement said both sides agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, security and counterterrorism.

“The two leaders agreed to advance the Pak-US partnership, propelled by high-level exchanges and shared interests in regional peace, security and prosperity,” it added.

A detailed statement said Rubio commended the close engagement and continued coordination between Pakistan’s leadership and the US administration, while FM Dar expressed confidence that Pakistan’s continued sincere efforts for peace and stability would yield positive results.

He also “deeply appreciated the pivotal role” played by President Trump and Secretary Rubio in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India last year and averting a broader conflict between the two nuclear-armed states. Dar further conveyed Pakistan’s concerns regarding the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups against Pakistan and stressed the need for enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation to address security challenges.

Dar said he had a “very good meeting” with Rubio.

“Always a pleasure to engage with him on further strengthening Pak-US bilateral relations and advancing our shared goals of peace, stability and prosperity for our two countries and the wider region.”

Later, in a post on X, Rubio thanked Dar for Pakistan’s role in advancing peace in the Middle East.

“We agreed upon the importance of working together to further strengthen a meaningful partnership for better security and more prosperity for our two nations,” Rubio said.

The US State Department said Rubio thanked FM Dar for the “constructive role Pakistan continues to play in realising President Trump’s vision for peace in the Middle East and its mediation efforts with Iran”.

It said both agreed upon the importance of working together to “further strengthen a meaningful partnership that fosters security and prosperity” for both Americans and Pakistanis.

The State Department added that Rubio also expressed his condolences for the victims of the recent Balochistan Liberation Army terrorist attack in Quetta.

Earlier, Dar arrived in Washington, DC, for an official visit following the conclusion of his engagements at the United Nations in New York.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar was received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, along with senior officials of the Embassy of Pakistan.

“Following the conclusion of his official engagements, he will return to Islamabad later the same day,” the statement added.

On Thursday, the FO said that discussions during the visit would focus on strengthening cooperation in key sectors as well as Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability through “dialogue and diplomacy”.

Dar’s Washington visit comes immediately after a series of high-level engagements at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he participated in an open debate of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened under China’s presidency of the council.

While addressing the UNSC session, Dar on Tuesday called for restraint and de-escalation in the Middle East, warning the UNSC that another prolonged conflict would endanger regional peace and further strain the fragile international order.

Addressing an open debate, Dar, while referring to the ongoing efforts to achieve a resolution to the conflict between Iran and the US, stated that the principle of peaceful settlement must apply equally to all long-standing disputes on the Security Council’s agenda.

“The entire world is watching. We must succeed in the interest of regional and global peace and security,” he told the 15-member UNSC. “As a friendly neighbour of Iran and brotherly countries of the Gulf, Pakistan consistently stood for restraint, de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.”

Also Read: Dar calls for ‘more democratic’ UN Security Council amid global crises

During his stay in New York, Dar also held meetings with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and other senior diplomats, where discussions covered regional conflicts, Afghanistan, Palestine, South Asia and reform of the UN Security Council. Pakistan also reiterated its support for greater multilateral cooperation and reforms to global governance institutions.

The foreign minister’s latest visit signals continued momentum in Pakistan-US diplomatic engagement at a time when Islamabad has assumed an increasingly visible role in regional diplomacy, particularly regarding ongoing indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran.

Recent international reports have highlighted Pakistan’s involvement in facilitating communication channels aimed at easing tensions between the two sides.

Pakistan-US relations have witnessed renewed engagement in recent months, with cooperation expanding beyond traditional security issues into diplomacy, regional stability and economic coordination. Washington has also increasingly acknowledged Islamabad’s role in mediation efforts linked to the Middle East crisis, while both countries continue discussions on trade, energy cooperation and broader regional security matters.

The visit comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Washington on regional security and bilateral cooperation. According to the statement, Dar will return to Islamabad later the same day following the completion of his official engagements.