Overview
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a call on June 26 to discuss promoting a durable peace between Israel and Iran.
- President Trump announced a ceasefire earlier this week after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on June 22 and Iran’s retaliation against a U.S. base in Qatar.
- Rubio emphasized that Iran must never develop or acquire nuclear weapons, according to a U.S. State Department statement.
- Sharif thanked the U.S. for its role in securing a Pakistan-India ceasefire and sought Washington’s support to bolster his domestic legitimacy and trade concessions.
- Pakistan is leveraging its partnership with the U.S. to strengthen regional stability and advance its goal of internationalizing the Kashmir issue.