Pakistan is walking a tightrope as the war against Iran intensifies, with that balance becoming more precarious by the day.
Islamabad has so far followed cautious diplomacy, condemning the attacks on Iran while urging de-escalation. But analysts warn the country cannot remain insulated from competitive pressures.
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At the forefront of tensions is a new defense deal with Saudi Arabia, which states that aggression against one country will be treated as a threat to both countries. It is widely seen as one of Pakistan’s most consequential defense deals, tying the country to Riyadh while risking confrontation with Iran.
Shia Muslims carrying portraits of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei take part in an anti-American-Israel protest in Islamabad on March 6, 2026. (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)
Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim state, has already stationed troops in Saudi Arabia for training and defense support and has said there is “no question” of coming to the kingdom’s aid.
Within days of the war’s outbreak, the country’s military chief, General Asim Munir, made an “emergency visit” to Saudi Arabia, where top officials discussed joint responses to Iranian attacks. It was the first real test of the pact.
Relations between the two nations are strong and Riyadh remains an important economic lifeline for Islamabad. Saudi Arabia has already made arrangements to support energy supplies as war-related fuel supply disruptions hit import-dependent Pakistan.
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Yet Pakistan’s relationship with Iran is just as crucial.
The two share a 565-mile border, along with deep trade ties and important religious ties.
Pakistan is home to the second largest Shia community in the world after Iran. The pro-Iranian regime’s protests in the wake of the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned deadly, forcing military intervention and curfews.
Maintaining ties with Tehran is crucial to managing domestic tensions and averting an uprising by the Baloch minority community there.
Iran is also an important economic partner for Pakistan, which is facing a serious economic crisis. The two have significant trading, with a new target of $10 billion by 2028.
Pakistan’s foreign minister has had “constant discussions” with his Iranian counterpart throughout the conflict. And last week, a Pakistani oil tanker sailed through the largely blocked Strait of Hormuz. Analysts noted that this was the first non-Iranian cargo ship to do so since tensions escalated, suggesting safe passage may have been negotiated. Officials added that more oil tankers bound for Pakistan are likely to cross the strait in the coming days.
A screenshot of a maritime traffic terminal with ships in the Strait of Hormuz on March 4, 2026. (Kpler/Maritime traffic)
Most of Pakistan’s imports of crude oil and LNG pass through the Strait of Hormuz. But as the war continues, analysts warn that the space for neutrality in Pakistan is shrinking.
Pakistan recently stood up to Iran and supported a Gulf-led resolution at the United Nations condemning regional aggression. Russia and China abstained from voting.
Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign minister has just called for regional coordination in separate talks with Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt.
Shia Muslims carrying portraits of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei take part in an anti-American-Israel protest in Islamabad on March 6, 2026. (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)
At the same time, Islamabad must also maintain relations with Washington, yet another important partner.
During President Donald Trump’s second term, Pakistan has pursued closer ties with the US and even put its name in the spotlight for the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Questions are also arising in Washington. At a White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was working with the Pentagon to assess whether Pakistan is supporting Iran, while describing India as a “good player.”
India’s positioning has further added pressure due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New Delhi, India on February 25, 2026. (Photo by Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“There is no contradiction in being absolutely committed to peace, dialogue and order. Pakistan’s strong relations with the United States, with Saudi Arabia, with Iran and with China are a testament to Pakistan’s commitment,” Pakistan Prime Minister’s spokesperson Zaidi said.
So far, Pakistan has effectively positioned itself at the forefront of mediation efforts to end the ongoing conflict, leveraging its ties with all three major powers.
Reports indicate that high-level talks between the US and Iran will take place before Islamabad as early as this weekend.
“Pakistan wants to be important to the US and be a better partner than India. As the Afghan Taliban has alienated itself from Islamabad since 2021, there are few sticking points between the US and Pakistan, with the latter able to present itself as an ally against terrorism,” Fitton-Brown said. “And most regional parties want the crisis to end sooner rather than later. But no one wants the Islamic Republic in Iran to be strengthened.”
The spiraling war comes at a critical time for Pakistan’s already vast military. Tensions with India remain high, while border conflicts, air strikes, drone strikes and rising numbers of civilian casualties have become the norm in once-friendly neighboring Afghanistan.
The nations plunged into “all-out war” just days before the conflict with Iran broke out, and the violence shows no signs of abating after new Pakistani attacks recently hit the Afghan capital Kabul.
Afghan Taliban fighters patrol near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak, Kandahar province, following gun battles between Pakistani and Afghan forces. (REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo)
“This geography and the history of the region is why Pakistan steadfastly rejects India’s efforts for regional hegemony, it is why Pakistan seeks an end to the Afghan Taliban regime’s support for terrorist groups,” Zaidi said. “We seek a complete end to terrorism emanating from the area currently controlled by the Afghan Taliban.”
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With Pakistan already under control of tensions on both its eastern border with India and its western border with Afghanistan, a destabilized Iran could escalate those tensions even further.
“If Islamabad is destabilized it will be extremely bad news both regionally and globally,” Edmund Fitton-Brown told Fox. “The idea of a nuclear power under jihadist rule is not worth thinking about.”
