A Half-Century of Calls: PM’s Telephonic Push in Iran–US Crisis

Ehtisham Yousaf

Islamabad: As the US-Iran conflict intensified in the Middle East, Pakistan quietly activated a high-frequency diplomatic channel of telephone diplomacy led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has now completed 51 high-level calls with world leaders, marking what officials describe as a “half-century of crisis diplomacy.”

As tensions escalated into open conflict between Iran and the United States, the Prime Minister’s Office activated an emergency diplomatic outreach strategy. The objective was to prevent regional spillover and encourage de-escalation through direct leadership-level engagement.

PM’s Frequent Channels of Communication

According to the official documents avalable with PenPK.com, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conducted 51 telephone calls with heads of state across the Middle East, Europe, and other key international partners. The effort combined crisis mediation with sustained coordination between rival and allied blocs.

Iran: President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian — 5 calls, making Tehran the most frequently contacted counterpart

Türkiye: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — 3 calls

Kuwait: Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid — 3 calls

Saudi Arabia: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — 3 calls

Bahrain: King — 3 calls

Qatar: Emir — 3 calls

Lebanon: Prime Minister — 3 calls

Oman: Sultan — 2 calls

Further engagements included leaders from Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and other regional states. The Prime Minister also held two structured calls with the President of the European Council, reflecting outreach beyond the Middle East.

Read More: https://hillstarnews.com/pakistan-emerges-as-diplomatic-hub-for-peace-talks-on-day-57/

On Eid al-Fitr, the Prime Minister personally contacted leaders of 14 countries, combining crisis diplomacy with symbolic goodwill messaging. Officials described this phase as an attempt to “soften political channels” while sustaining active coordination.

Beyond the Phone Line

Telephone diplomacy was complemented by high-level visits to Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Qatar, where the Prime Minister held face-to-face meetings with senior leadership. This dual-track approach of calls and visits formed what officials describe as a “hybrid diplomacy model.”

Collectively, the outreach reflects Pakistan’s attempt to position itself as a quiet intermediary during heightened regional tensions, leveraging both rapid communication and traditional diplomacy to maintain regional stability.

Analysts view the volume and frequency of calls as an attempt by Pakistan to:

Position itself as a mediator between Iran and Gulf states

Maintain balanced ties with Western capitals and Middle Eastern partners

Prevent regional escalation from affecting South Asia’s security and energy stability

With 51 calls in a short diplomatic window, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s outreach underscores a shift toward real-time, leader-to-leader crisis diplomacy, where the phone, not the summit table, became the primary instrument of engagement.

Ehtisham Yousaf is a mainstream media journalist covering the Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, and political affairs in Islamabad.