Juana Summers

Earlier this week, the world held its breath as President Trump threatened a severe escalation in the war with Iran.

He posted to Truth Social on Tuesday, giving an 8pm deadline.

A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.

With just hours to go, he backed off.

One country was key to brokering the deal, Pakistan.

Elizabeth Threlkeld worked for the U.S.

State Department in Pakistan, and she says the Pakistani government has a lot to gain by hosting these talks.

Pakistan has emerged as a key player in bringing Iran and the U.S.

to the negotiating table.

But will that be enough to bring peace?

From NPR, I'm Juana Summers.

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It's Consider This from NPR.

Pakistan is scheduled to host U.S.

and Iranian leaders this weekend with the goal of brokering a lasting peace agreement.

It's an unusual role for the country that had been kept at arm's length by previous administrations.

So how did Pakistan become the mediator in this war?

For that, we've called Elizabeth Threlkeld.

She's a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center.

That's a nonpartisan global affairs think tank