Pakistan's Foreign Office confirmed Thursday that Islamabad is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to resolve a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz (the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly a fifth of global oil flows), with Oman taking the lead in direct negotiations with Iran over future navigation arrangements. Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said the effort is a coordinated undertaking among "brotherly states," including Qatar, built around the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between Tehran and Washington in June, which mandated toll-free commercial passage and subsequent multilateral talks on shipping management. Pakistan is also reviewing the terms and operational structure of a newly formed Saudi-led maritime coalition covering the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden before committing to a role, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travelling to Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a three-day visit amid the discussions.