Pakistan Negotiating An End to Iran War? Kind of Makes SenseAmerica has never met a Pakistani General it doesn't like or worked with whether Gen Zia during the 1980s Soviet invasion of Afghanistan or Gen Musharraf after the 9/11 attacks on America
Pakistan as a possible mediator in America’s war against Iran is not a surprise. Pakistan and its powerful military leader, Gen. Asim Munir, has held meetings with both Iran and Saudi Arabia, spoke out against the war in Iran, while ensuring Saudi Arabia the security pact the two have signed is airtight and inviolable. Powerfully Pakistan is also a nuclear power, the only one in the Islamic world. Since its inception in 1947, when carved by the departing British from a larger India, Pakistan has also had to navigate a complicated and complex neighborhood rife with border disputes, religious and economic rivalries, great wealth and great poverty. In the larger world Pakistan has maneuvered a windy and often treacherous middle road between its long-time ally China and its often fair weathered friend America. No it is not a surprise that Pakistan could emerge to negotiate an off ramp to America and Israel’s war with Iran. As for the United States, history has shown that democratic America has never met a Pakistani General it didn’t like, whether it was military dictator Gen. Mohammad Zia-ul Haq during the 1980s Soviet Union’s invasion in neighboring Afghanistan, or Gen. Pervez Musharraf in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks on the United States. That’s not even counting President John F. Kennedy’s fond relationship with one of the country’s first military dictators. Gen. Ayub Khan. During the 1980s Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Gen. Zia together with U.S. President Ronald Reagan nurtured Islamic fervor and invited Islamic militants from the region to fight the “godless communists” as Reagan was fond of saying. After a 10-year battle, the Soviet Union retreated, defeated. As it would happen it would be the last Cold War battle America would wage against its long-time enemy before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. But America and Pakistan can be dodgy friends, no less so America than Pakistan. After 10 years of working with Pakistan, sending in billions of dollars in weapons and training, against the former Soviet Union in Afghanistan, and each year certifying Pakistan did not have a nuclear weapon or intentions of building one, Washington in 1990__ one year after the Soviet Union left Afghanistan defeated __ declared indeed Pakistan did have a nuclear weapon and threw every sanction it had at it, cutting Pakistan off from all economic and military aid. As soon as Washington got what it wanted from Pakistan it unceremoniously and without any pretense or apology tossed it aside. Yes America: A dodgy friend. After 9/11 Pakistan’s Gen. Musharraf was told “either you are with us or against us” and Musharraf together with President George W. Bush, NATO and America’s new found allies in Afghanistan, the northern alliance, ousted the Taliban from power in 2001. The war lasted for 20 years and like the Soviet Union before them, the U.S. and NATO left defeated and the Taliban returned . During those 20 years Pakistan provided both bases for the United States and safe haven for the Taliban leadership and treatment for Taliban soldiers in its hospitals. Yes Pakistan: A dodgy friend. Today Pakistan has positioned itself as a go between between the United States and Iran, not surprising and also quite possibly positioned to bring it about. Trump is looking for an off ramp. He bores easily, price of oil can’t keep going up particularly as the U.S, mid terms gets closer and regardless of what really happens in the negotiations, Trump will package it at home in America as a win. His base no doubt will believe him. Iran is taking a beating but is proving deeply resilient and a proud people, Iranians are fighting for their survival in a war they didn’t start and are winning, simply by remaining in the fight. But Iran too benefits from an end to the war and while the United States can return its ships back home, Iran remains in this neighborhood and needs to reach a calm, if not friendly relationship, with its Arab neighbors in the Gulf. Iran too needs to get its oil to markets. The Gulf countries too want an end to the war, Their wealth is in their oil they need to get to markets. But also they have built solid reputations the world over as safe prosperous countries, open for business and good for business. It will take a while but they want that reputation revived. Israel is an unknown but it would seem from most analysts Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu will have to follow Washington’s lead. It is too early to know what if anything comes of talk of Pakistan as a mediator but it is not a surprise. © 2026 Kathy Gannon |