Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan hosted talks on Sunday with Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to broker an end to the Iran war, with initial discussions focused on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, sources familiar with the matter said.
Talks in Islamabad amid continued fighting
Foreign ministers from the three countries arrived in Islamabad for the talks as Iran warned the United States against launching a ground attack and global oil prices surged amid continued fighting between Iran, the United States and Israel.
Proposals tied to maritime traffic and reopening the strait
Five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters the countries meeting in Pakistan have floated proposals to Washington related to maritime traffic and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as part of wider efforts to stabilise shipping flows.
The strait previously carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, but Iran has effectively halted shipping flows through it in response to U.S. and Israeli air strikes that began a month ago.
Pakistan’s role and reported ideas under discussion
Pakistan, which like Turkey borders Iran, has leveraged its close ties to both Tehran and Washington to emerge as a key diplomatic channel in the conflict, while Ankara and Cairo have also played a role.
A Pakistani source said proposals, including from Egypt, had been forwarded to the White House by the countries before Sunday’s meeting and included Suez Canal-style fee structures.
Two other Pakistani sources said Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia could form a consortium to manage oil flows through the waterway and had asked Pakistan to participate. The sources said the management consortium proposal had been discussed with the United States and Iran.
The first Pakistani source said the country’s army chief Asim Munir had been in regular contact with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Official responses
Egypt’s and Pakistan’s foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment. The Saudi government media office and the White House did not immediately reply to comment requests.
A Turkish diplomatic source said Ankara’s priority was securing a ceasefire.
What impact do you think reopening the Strait of Hormuz would have on global oil and shipping markets?
