WASHINGTON (April 30, 2026) – As the U.S. and Iran negotiate a peace deal, Pakistan has emerged as a mediator. This strategic move helps Pakistan to solidify their global position by leveraging their relationship as Iran’s neighbor and using their partnership with the U.S to their advantage.
Leading democracies are also recognizing Pakistan’s value. Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital city, has a wide range of contacts in the Middle East that could make it an important representative in the long run. Recently, the United Kingdom’s foreign secretary visited Pakistan in 2025 for the first time in four years. Canada and Pakistan also agreed to upgrade investment and trade collaboration, while Australia is negotiating to do the same.
For further analysis on these developments, please consider Ben Hopkins, senior associate dean of academic affairs, at GW’s Elliott School's Academic Programs, Graduate Admissions, International Exchanges, and Student Services. Hopkins is a historian of modern South Asia, specializing in the history of Afghanistan and British imperialism on the Indian subcontinent. He has authored, co-authored, and co-edited numerous books on the region, including The Making of Modern Afghanistan, Fragments of the Afghan Frontier, and Beyond Swat: History, Society and Economy along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Frontier.
To schedule an interview, please contact Nadia Payne at nadia [dot] payne
gwu [dot] edu (nadia[dot]payne[at]gwu[dot]edu) or GW media at gwmediagwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
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