By The South Asia Times

ANTALYA, Turkiye – Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar announced on Friday that the United States and Iran have completed more than 80 percent of the groundwork toward a potential agreement, following marathon talks hosted by Islamabad earlier this month.

Speaking at the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye, Dar revealed that Pakistan had facilitated 21 hours of direct negotiations between the two countries on April 10 and 11 -- the first time in 47 years that Washington and Tehran had engaged in face-to-face dialogue.

“Both countries agreed to have direct dialogue on the condition that Pakistan should be part of it. We were only facilitators and mediators,” Dar told an audience of diplomats, policymakers, and regional leaders.

According to Dar, the two sides have resolved major issues, including sanctions, the release of deep-frozen assets, and the free movement of shipping lanes. “Things were already there. We have done the bulk of the work,” he said, adding that only “a couple of things” remain pending.

“We have crossed more than 80 percent of the work done,” Dar stated. “Both parties have to show flexibility, and we will be in business. The whole world will celebrate that day.”

Dar noted that the positive momentum was reinforced earlier Friday when Iran announced the unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels -- a move linked to the ceasefire in Lebanon.

“We had some sense last night that Iran has announced unconditional free flow of ships across Hormuz, in and out. This is a very good omen,” Dar said.

The Foreign Minister warned that the recent crisis had severely disrupted global supply chains.  “The common man has been hit. Inflation skyrocketed. Developing countries have suffered a lot,” he said.

Pakistan’s five-point peace plan, unveiled on March 31 following Dar’s visit to China, had explicitly called for the reopening of Hormuz and the restoration of pre-February 28 shipping conditions. “This has actually happened today,” Dar said, while urging that the reopening become “perpetual and permanent.”

- Connectivity and Mistrust in South Asia

Turning to regional economic integration, Dar painted a stark picture: South Asia, home to 2 billion people and a combined GDP of $4 trillion, has intra-regional trade of just five percent -- the lowest of any economic bloc in the world.

“Without removing mistrust, we can’t have connectivity. And without connectivity, issues cannot be resolved,” he said.

He lamented the poor performance of SAARC, describing it as the “least performing economic bloc” due to persistent tensions. As an alternative, Pakistan has turned to trilateral mechanisms, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which Dar said is now being expanded to Afghanistan.

He also highlighted ongoing efforts to establish railway connectivity between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan — a project that would link Central Asian states to South Asian ports.

“Connectivity is the name of the game,” Dar said. “It leads to shared prosperity, higher GDP, and better per capita income.”

Dar expressed cautious optimism, thanking the international community -- including the UN Secretary-General, EU officials, and regional partners -- for encouraging Pakistan’s mediation efforts.

“We are Muslims who believe in destiny and divine help,” Dar said. “But humanly, we have done whatever we could do. Led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his team, we will not leave any stone unturned.”

With the current 15-day ceasefire set to expire on April 21, all eyes remain on Islamabad as it works to bridge the final gaps between Washington and Tehran. “Our objective is not just ceasefire extension,” Dar clarified. “Our main objective is the permanent termination of war.”