Twenty-four hours. That is the window Pakistan's prime minister offered on Saturday for what could become one of the most consequential diplomatic agreements of the decade — a deal between the United States and Iran to end their war. The statement, delivered with unusual precision, signalled that the gap between the two sides had narrowed to something that mediators now believe is bridgeable. Pakistan has occupied an unlikely but pivotal role in the negotiations.

Islamabad has long maintained working relationships with both Washington and Tehran, a rare diplomatic position that has made it a trusted channel when direct communication between the two adversaries has broken down. It is a role that reflects a broader reality: in contemporary geopolitics, middle powers with credible ties to rival blocs often prove more valuable than traditional great-power brokers. The claim that a deal is "closer than ever before" carries weight precisely because it comes from someone inside the room rather than from an outside analyst. Observers in Brussels and Ankara, who have watched previous rounds of talks collapse over technical disputes about uranium enrichment and sanctions relief, have greeted the announcement with cautious optimism rather than outright celebration.

The history of US–Iran diplomacy is, after all, a catalogue of near-misses.