DOMINANT ANGLE
Islamabad claims to have mediated between Washington and Tehran, positioning the Strait of Hormuz as a "main artery of the global economy" that no party should turn into a chokepoint.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Shehbaz Sharif, before the 81st UN General Assembly, called the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb the "arteries of the global economy" that "must remain open"
- 02
A Memorandum of Understanding was reached in talks that brought together Washington and Tehran, with a tribute to Marshal Asim Munir
- 03
Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz fell to nine ships on Thursday, down from fourteen the day before, far from the around 125 daily ships before the war, which accounted for a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply
ANALYSIS
Islamabad, September 26, 2026. Before the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, on Friday in New York, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif demanded that the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb remain open, calling them "arteries of the global economy" that "must connect nations, not become chokepoints of confrontation". He warned that the recent flare-up in hostilities had put these vital maritime routes under severe pressure, advocating for "the voice of diplomacy to resonate louder than the din of missiles, drones, and arms".
The head of the Pakistani government claimed an active role in de-escalation: Islamabad claims to have brought Washington and Tehran "under one roof" during talks organized in the Pakistani capital, resulting in a Memorandum of Understanding presented as a "historic step" towards the end of the conflict. Shehbaz Sharif praised the "tireless efforts" of the Chief of the Army Staff, General Asim Munir, for having opened a space for dialogue "in exceptionally difficult circumstances".
The Prime Minister also condemned the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, particularly a drone strike attempt targeting Mecca, qualifying any threat against holy sites as a "red line that must never be crossed", and reaffirmed Pakistan's solidarity with Riyadh, notably through the Mecca joint defense agreement associating Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.
On the ground, maritime tracking data cited by the Pakistani press shows that transits through the Strait of Hormuz fell to nine on Thursday, compared to fourteen the day before, for a ten-day average of eighteen - far from the approximately one hundred and twenty-five daily ships before the war, which represented a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply. According to sources cited by Reuters, Washington and Tehran are discussing a "multi-step" agreement in New York: a reopening of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of the American economic blockade, a senior Iranian official mentioning the possibility of recovering frozen assets. Donald Trump hinted that an agreement might only come after the November 3 midterm elections.
SOURCES (3)
- ARY NewsMEDIUM
- Business RecorderMEDIUM
