《Pakistan Pass-Through and the Ten-Point Terms: The Last Gasp of Old Multilateralism》

Iran rejected the U.S. ceasefire proposal, but delivered a response through Pakistan that included ten points. This diplomatic detail is worth deep thought: why Pakistan? Why “ten points”?

Pakistan’s role is not accidental. It is one of the few countries that maintain relatively good relations with the United States, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and China at the same time. Pakistan has a long land border with Iran, is also an important member of the Saudi-led Islamic military alliance, and has a “all-weather strategic partnership” with China. Choosing Pakistan as the messenger is equivalent to Iran sending signals in multiple directions: to the United States, it is an official response channel; to China, it is a display of regional cooperation; to Saudi Arabia, it is a reminder of Pakistan’s importance in brokering.

And the number “ten points” itself is a diplomatic posture. Iran did not simply say “no” or “yes,” but instead threw out a detailed list. This is a typical “agenda-setting” tactic: Iran is telling the U.S. that if you want to talk, you must do so within my framework. Although the specific content of the terms has not been disclosed, it can be reasonably inferred that they include: permanently lifting sanctions, recognizing Iran’s regional role, the U.S. withdrawing from military bases in the Gulf, compensating for losses from past sanctions, and acknowledgment of Iran’s influence in Iraq and Syria, and so on. Any one of these terms is political poison in Washington.

Therefore, the outcome of this diplomatic interaction is almost destined to be a stalemate. But it reveals a deeper problem: the existing global governance mechanisms have already failed in the Middle East. The UN Security Council cannot form a resolution due to disagreements among major powers; the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) has long become effectively defunct; and the Gulf Cooperation Council is plagued by internal contradictions. In this situation, countries are forced to revert to the most primitive diplomatic tools—finding a third party to pass messages, issuing a list of conditions, and fighting an opinion war. This is not a victory for diplomacy, but a failure of diplomacy.

Genuinely effective global governance requires institutionalized, inclusive, and enforceable frameworks. But the reality of 2026 is that U.S.-China competition, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the fragmentation of the Middle East have already destroyed the possibility of such frameworks. Iran’s “Pakistan pass-through” interaction with the United States is like putting a temporary rain shelter on top of rubble—it can block some rain, but it cannot last long.

Conclusion: Iran’s ten points and Pakistan’s role as the messenger are the last struggle before the end of old multilateralism. Next, the Middle East will enter a more chaotic, more dependent on bilateral deals, and also more dangerous phase.
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