Macron praises Pakistan’s role in Iran-US ceasefire in call with PM Sharif

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday he received a “warm and substantive” telephone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, who congratulated Pakistan for helping facilitate a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

“President Macron graciously congratulated Pakistan on its sincere efforts in facilitating the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, and for helping bring both sides to the negotiating table,” Sharif said in a post on X.

“I deeply appreciate his kind words as well as his good wishes for the success of the upcoming peace talks in Islamabad,” the prime minister added.

Sharif said Pakistan would continue working with international partners to ensure the diplomatic opening leads to lasting stability.

“Pakistan will continue to work with its partners and friends, including France to ensure that this opportunity leads to a durable and lasting peace,” he said.

The two leaders also discussed escalating violence in Lebanon.

“We also shared serious concern over the ongoing aggression in Lebanon and underscored the urgent need to end the violence and loss of innocent lives, so that peace may be restored across the region,” Sharif said.

The call came days after Pakistan led an urgent diplomatic push that resulted in a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States. The agreement, endorsed by Tehran and acknowledged by Washington, opened the door for further negotiations.

However, fresh Israeli strikes on Lebanon have raised doubts about whether the ceasefire can hold, as tensions continue across multiple fronts in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue its operations in Lebanon, signaling no immediate pause despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.

International affairs experts described Israel’s strikes as a “spoiler” to the ceasefire process, saying Israel may not favor a halt in conflict with Iran or a return to broader regional stability.

A day earlier, Macron joined a group of European and allied leaders – including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prime Minister Mark Carney, President Dan, acting Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, President Alexander Stubb, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa – in issuing a joint statement welcoming the ceasefire and thanking Pakistan for its role.

“We welcome the two-week ceasefire concluded between the United States and Iran today. We thank Pakistan and all partners involved for facilitating this important agreement,” the statement said.

“The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means.

“We strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement. This will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region. It can avert a severe global energy crisis.

“We support these diplomatic efforts. To this end, we are in close contact with the United States and other partners.

“We call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon.

“Our governments will contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement added.