Middle East tensions delay Pakistan UN visit, US tariffs talks

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: Escalating conflict in the Middle East has forced the postponement of two significant Pakistani visits to the United States, disrupting diplomatic and economic plans, Dawn newspaper reported on Sunday.

The first visit was set to bring Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to New York next week for a United Nations conference focused on Palestinian statehood, a gathering intended to push forward the long-stalled vision of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.

But on Friday, France and Saudi Arabia, the co-sponsors of the event, requested the U.N. to delay the conference in the wake of Israeli air strikes on Iran, a development that has further inflamed tensions across the region.

Speaking in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the postponement but emphasised that the conference remains a priority. “While we have to postpone this conference for logistical and security reasons, it will take place as soon as possible,” Macron said.

The second postponed visit involves a trade delegation from Islamabad, which had been slated to arrive in Washington for talks on tariffs. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced at a news briefing that the delegation would travel “next week” to discuss trade matters, a move seen as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen economic ties between the two nations.

But the shifting dynamics in the Middle East have upended those plans as well. A source told Dawn that the delay is temporary. “But it will happen soon. We are working on the schedule,” the source said.