Pakistan urges Iran to ensure energy supplies and the safe passage of ships as escalating Middle East tensions disrupt key maritime routes and raise fuel and gas costs for energy-importing nations. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the appeal on Saturday during a conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi.
In a post on X, Pakistan’s foreign office said Mr Dar underlined that uninterrupted energy supplies and the swift, safe movement of vessels carry particular weight for developing countries and global supply chains. He also reiterated that dialogue and diplomacy were the “only viable means” of securing regional peace and stability. The two officials agreed to remain in close contact and to meet in New York on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea
The appeal comes as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, once used to transport about a fifth of global energy supplies, remains sharply reduced. Separately, escalating fighting involving the Iran-backed Houthis has raised concerns over shipping through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait at the entrance to the Red Sea.
For import-dependent economies, the combined pressure on these two routes makes safe shipping a matter of economic security as much as regional stability. Any prolonged restriction on vessel movements tends to feed directly into freight costs, fuel availability and the price paid by consumers.
Why Pakistan Urges Iran to Ensure Energy Supplies
Pakistan imports most of its energy requirements, which has left it particularly exposed to disruption in the Gulf since the US-Iran war began in February. That exposure explains why Islamabad has pressed Tehran on the issue, even as it maintains contacts with Washington and Gulf capitals and repeatedly calls for de-escalation.
The foreign office said earlier this week that it was concerned about the escalation and its effect on regional peace, security, maritime navigation and global energy supplies. It described dialogue and diplomacy as the only sustainable way to prevent the conflict from widening.
Fuel Prices in Pakistan and Government Relief Measures
The strain has increasingly reached Pakistan’s domestic economy, forcing the government to raise petroleum prices repeatedly and to introduce measures intended to cushion consumers. On Friday, the government cut petrol and high-speed diesel prices to Rs389.14 ($1.40) and Rs424.04 ($1.53) per litre respectively. Both remain sharply elevated amid continued volatility in global energy markets.
Earlier this month, the government approved Rs75 billion ($271 million) for a targeted fuel relief scheme. It offers subsidies to users of two- and three-wheelers and of cars with engines of up to 800cc, and was designed to protect lower-income consumers from rising petroleum prices.
Islamabad has also introduced austerity measures to conserve fuel. These include a 50 percent cut in allocations for official vehicles for three months and restrictions on government spending, as the authorities seek to contain the economic fallout from the regional conflict.
Pakistan’s Mediation Role in the US-Iran War
Pakistan has positioned itself as a diplomatic intermediary in the US-Iran war. It mediated talks that led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries in June, aimed at ending the conflict. Hostilities nevertheless resumed within days, and Islamabad’s peacemaking efforts were complicated further by an escalation in fighting involving the Houthis in and around Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea.
Pakistan has condemned attacks on Saudi territory while continuing to advocate diplomacy with Tehran. With the two foreign ministers due to meet in New York, attention now turns to whether renewe
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 20th, 2026
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