Pakistan Is Trying to Revive Iran Talks as Trump Expands the Air War: Pakistan is trying to restore negotiations between the United States and Iran while the military campaign continues to widen. Iran’s interior minister met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Islamabad, according to an Associated Press report on the diplomatic effort. Sharif again offered Pakistan as a mediator after helping negotiate the interim agreement that later collapsed.
U.S. Central Command completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes, targeting aircraft hangars, drone-storage facilities, command sites, and other military infrastructure. The official CENTCOM statement said Iran had attacked more than 30 commercial vessels during the previous three months and that American forces continued supporting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald J. Trump, joined by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Physicist John M. Martinis, Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, OMB Director Russ Vought, and others, delivers remarks after signing an Executive Order on quantum computing in the Oval Office, Monday, June 22, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
President Donald J. Trump, joined by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Physicist John M. Martinis, Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, OMB Director Russ Vought, and others, delivers remarks after signing an Executive Order on quantum computing in the Oval Office, Monday, June 22, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)
Washington’s public position leaves a narrow opening. President Donald Trump said he had no interest in a meeting until Iran was prepared for meaningful negotiations and threatened strikes near the fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 22 that the United States remained willing to negotiate an end to the crisis if Tehran engaged seriously.
The pressure for an agreement is increasing. The Associated Press reported that more than 500 American service members had been wounded during the war, while a separate July 22 update put the cost to the United States at $37.5 billion. Iran continues attacking regional bases and commercial shipping, and U.S. strikes have not restored normal tanker traffic.
Pakistan Is Keeping the Ceasefire Channel Open
Pakistan has leverage because both governments accepted its earlier mediation, even though they later disputed what the agreement required. Mediators have now presented a proposed 10-day ceasefire intended to restart negotiations and reduce the immediate risk to shipping and regional bases.
A pause would have to settle more than the timing of airstrikes. Washington and Tehran need common rules for Hormuz, commercial passage, mine clearance, sanctions, the American blockade, and attacks on military facilities. The previous arrangement left major obligations unresolved, allowing each government to claim the other had violated the same document. Tehran’s insistence that the administration of Hormuz must change remains central to the dispute.
Trump Is Expanding the Iran Target Set
Trump’s threat against Pickaxe Mountain raises the stakes because Iran has warned that attacks on nuclear or other sensitive facilities would produce a larger response. Additional strikes could damage Iranian capabilities and strengthen Washington’s bargaining position. They could also increase attacks on American personnel, Gulf infrastructure, and merchant vessels before negotiations begin.
American airpower has already destroyed radars, missile launchers, command centers, and naval assets. Those operations have not removed the geographic advantage Iran holds around Hormuz. Tehran can disperse mines, drones, small maritime units, and mobile launchers along a long coastline, while commercial operators need confidence in every transit.
Hormuz Remains the Main Test of U.S. Strategy
The U.S. Energy Information Administration identifies Hormuz as the world’s most important oil chokepoint. CENTCOM says it has helped approximately 900 commercial vessels carrying 450 million barrels of crude pass since early May. Ship-tracking data still showed only four commodity vessels crossing on July 20, with no large crude or liquefied natural gas tankers visible, according to Reuters.
That gap explains Iran’s negotiating strength. Tehran has shown that limited disruption can create broad economic pressure without continuous control of every lane. A diplomatic agreement will be credible when large tankers return, insurers reduce war-risk premiums, and crews accept routine passage.
Iran’s Regional Attacks Raise the Cost of Delay
Iran has attacked U.S. sites and allied territory in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. The Houthis have also threatened Saudi shipping near Bab el-Mandeb, creating pressure at the Red Sea route used to bypass Hormuz. The conflict now involves two major maritime chokepoints, American bases, Gulf energy infrastructure, and nuclear-site threats.
Pakistan’s next step is to turn informal outreach into agreed terms. The immediate indicators are a 10-day ceasefire, an end to attacks on commercial vessels and regional bases, and clear rules for Hormuz. Another tanker strike or an American attack near Pickaxe Mountain could close the negotiating window before the parties return to the table.
About the Author: Harry J. Kazianis
Harry J. Kazianis (@Grecianformula) was the former Senior Director of National Security Affairs at the Center for the National Interest (CFTNI), a foreign policy think tank founded by Richard Nixon based in Washington, DC. Harry has over a decade of experience in think tanks and national security publishing. His ideas have been published in the NY Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and many other outlets worldwide. He has held positions at CSIS, the Heritage Foundation, the University of Nottingham, and several other institutions related to national security research and studies. He is the former Executive Editor of the National Interest and the Diplomat. He holds a Master’s degree focusing on international affairs from Harvard University.
