For weeks, the Trump administration relied on Pakistan to act as an intermediary, urging it to persuade Iran to agree to a pause in hostilities that would allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Islamabad’s role as a Muslim-majority neighbour was seen as key to making the proposal acceptable to Tehran. Back-channel diplomacy spearheaded by Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir culminated late Tuesday with the US, Iran and Israel announcing a two-week ceasefire.