US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s continued willingness to play a constructive role in mediating conversations with Iran and its commitment to preserving regional stability during a meeting with visiting Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

“The two also discussed prospects for deepening bilateral counterterrorism cooperation, including countering ISIS-K, and the upcoming US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue in Islamabad this August,” State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a readout of the first face-to-face meeting between the two top diplomats.

“The Secretary underscored the importance of expanding mutually beneficial bilateral trade and exploring prospects for enhancing collaboration in the critical minerals and mining sectors,” it added.

In a post on X, DPM/FM Dar described the meeting as “a comprehensive discussion on the full spectrum of bilateral relations,” reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to a long-term partnership with the US. He said the talks included a renewed focus on economic, trade, investment, IT/AI, and counterterrorism cooperation.

Dar also noted that they exchanged views on key regional and global developments and expressed appreciation for what he called the US’ “constructive role” in facilitating the recent Pakistan-India ceasefire, following a four-day standoff between Islamabad and New Delhi in May, which followed an attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir in April.

Later, in a conversation with NBC News’ Dan De Luce at the Atlantic Council, Ishaq Dar outlined Islamabad’s regional outlook and addressed pathways for managing Pakistan-India tensions. “For peace in South Asia, we need continued US involvement,” he said, calling for an “open-eyed” policy that “understands the risk of disengagement.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)