Earlier this week, the world held its breath as President Trump threatened a severe escalation in the war with Iran.

He posted to Truth Social on Tuesday, giving an 8 p.m. deadline.

A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.

With just hours to go, he backed off.

President Trump today has agreed to pause strikes for two weeks in exchange for

Tehran reopening the vital strait of Hormuz. One country was key to brokering the deal, Pakistan.

Just bringing these talks together, in some ways that's already a victory for Pakistan,

because it's succeeded in playing this role. Elizabeth Threlkeld worked for the U.S. State

Department in Pakistan, and she says the Pakistani government has a lot to gain by hosting these talks.

Pakistan would benefit in terms of its international reputation. It's positioning as a middle power

and one with increasingly influential ties within the Middle East.

Consider this. Pakistan has emerged as a key player in bringing Iran and the U.S. to the negotiating table.

But will that be enough to bring peace?

From NPR, I'm Juana Summers.

It's consider this from NPR.

Pakistan is scheduled to host U.S. and Iranian leaders this weekend with the goal of brokering a lasting peace agreement.

It's an unusual role for the country that had been kept at arm's length by previous administrations.

So how did Pakistan become the mediator in this war? For that, we've called Elizabeth Threlkeld. She's a senior fellow and director of the South Asia program at the Stimson Center. That's a nonpartisan

global affairs think tank. She also spent time as a foreign service officer in Pakistan. I started by

asking her how Pakistan managed to bring Iran and the U.S. to the negotiating table.

Pakistan borders Iran, and they've had a bit of a testy relationship over time.

Pakistan is home to the second largest population of Shia Muslims in the world.

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