Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (right) speaks with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during their meeting in Doha, Qatar, on April 16, 2026. Photo: VCG

Pakistan is ramping up mediation efforts regarding US-Iran conflict. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Qatar's Emir Thursday to call for de-escalation, while a Pakistani delegation is having talks in Iran to pave the way for a second round US-Iran negotiation in Islamabad. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday met with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and stressed the importance of de-escalation and dialogue amid the ongoing regional situation, Pakistani media outlet Dawn reported.

The prime minister, accompanied by a high-level delegation, is undertaking official visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey from April 15 to 18, read the report.

Shehbaz said on X that "We discussed the evolving regional situation, particularly in the Gulf region, and underscored the importance of de-escalation, dialogue, and close international coordination to ensure peace and stability," per Dawn.

The trip came as Iran's top negotiator and speaker of its Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, met on Thursday with a Pakistani delegation led by the head of the Army, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, according to Mehr, a semiofficial Iranian news agency, the New York Times reported.

Earlier, Pakistan, which is mediating between Iran and the US, said it expected to host a second round of peace negotiations between the two countries, per the report.

Tahir Andrabi, a spokesman for Pakistan's foreign ministry, said on Thursday that a second round was expected in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, after initial talks there ended on Sunday without an agreement, according to the New York Times.

Per a report by the Bloomberg, Pakistan's army chief Munir and Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi along with a delegation from the country arrived in Iran's capital "as part of the ongoing mediation efforts," Pakistan's military said in a statement.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took part in a preliminary meeting Wednesday with Munir, AP reported, citing Iranian state media. According to DW, Munir is seen as one of the most influential intermediaries between the US and Iran.

The White House said any further talks would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations, according to AP.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that "The Pakistanis have been incredible mediators throughout this process, and we really appreciate their friendship and their efforts to bring this deal to a close." Leavitt further stressed "So they are the only mediator in this negotiation," according to the New York Post.

According to BBC, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to speak to the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday, cabinet security member Galia Gamliel says on Israeli Army radio.

It comes after US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday night that Israeli and Lebanese leaders will be speaking "tomorrow." 

However, an official in Lebanon's presidential office has told the BBC that Lebanon is not aware of any upcoming contact with Israel. 

While the initial US-Iran negotiation failed to lead to positive outcomes, both sides have kept a willingness to maintain communication through follow-up remarks and practical moves. This has created conditions for a future resumption of negotiations, which also reflects the mainstream expectations of the international community, Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Thursday.