Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday announced that Pakistan and Armenia have agreed to explore the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations.
He shared the development after holding a telephonic conversation with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan.
“Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, and I had a cordial phone conversation today and agreed to consider establishing diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Armenia,” Dar posted on X.
Pakistan and Armenia have not yet established formal diplomatic ties. Their relations have long been shaped by regional geopolitical rivalry, with Islamabad consistently supporting Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The breakthrough came just weeks after Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a US-brokered peace agreement during a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Analysts believe the agreement could pave the way for stronger bilateral economic relations after decades of hostility.
The Armenia-Azerbaijan dispute traces back to the late 1980s, when Nagorno-Karabakh—a mountainous Azerbaijani region with a majority ethnic Armenian population—broke away with Armenia’s backing. Azerbaijan regained full control of the territory in 2023, prompting nearly all of its 100,000 ethnic Armenian residents to flee to Armenia.
Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the “historic peace agreement,” describing it as the beginning of a new era of peace, stability, and cooperation in the South Caucasus, a region long scarred by conflict and suffering.
“We congratulate President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan on this historic agreement, which reflects wisdom, foresight, and sagacity in charting a peaceful future for their region. Pakistan has always stood by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan, and we share this proud moment in their history,” the PM said in a post on X.
He also praised the role of the United States under President Trump for facilitating the accord, which he said opens new avenues for trade, connectivity, and regional integration.
