Pakistan says no Israel shift without Palestinian state

Washington talks

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Friday that Islamabad will not alter its stance on Israel unless there is progress toward an independent Palestinian state, following talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. Speaking at the Pakistani Embassy, Dar told reporters that Pakistan remained committed to its long-standing policy regarding Palestine and the Gaza Strip.

He made the comments in response to questions about US President Donald Trump's recent call for Muslim nations to consider joining the Abraham Accords. Dar noted that Islamabad had already restated this position during engagements at the United Nations earlier in the week, adding that any shift in policy toward Israel would depend entirely on the creation of a Palestinian state.

Regional security and mediation

Dar said the United States appreciated Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between Washington and Tehran, though he declined to provide details of the mediation work citing confidentiality. Both sides also discussed regional security, bilateral trade, investment and counter-terrorism cooperation during the meeting.

Rubio accepted Pakistan's proposal for deeper discussions on building a strategic partnership and agreed to visit Islamabad later this year, Dar added. The meeting comes amid ongoing US efforts to expand the Abraham Accords to include additional Muslim-majority countries.