Pakistan has secured a central role in Iran peace negotiations through a series of strategic moves, including a real estate deal involving the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. The agreement, brokered by Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, could lead to the redevelopment of the shuttered property owned by Pakistan's government.

The hotel deal was announced at Trump's inaugural Board of Peace meeting, a diplomatic body that has evolved into a commercial forum requiring $1 billion membership fees. Pakistan's finance minister signed the agreement a month after finalizing a crypto partnership with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, the crypto start-up founded by the Trump and Witkoff families.

Pakistan's diplomatic elevation follows a charm offensive that included hiring Trump-linked lobbyists, nominating the president for the Nobel Peace Prize, and arresting an Islamic State leader. The country has been relaying Trump's 15-point peace plan to Iran and offering to host negotiations, leveraging its 565-mile border with Iran. This represents a dramatic shift from Pakistan's diplomatic irrelevance during the Biden administration to becoming a pivotal intermediary in Trump's Middle East peace efforts.