Agencies | Washington:
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has expressed strong reservations over Pakistan’s role in mediating between the United States and Iran, saying Washington should consider alternative channels for negotiations.
Speaking amid ongoing diplomatic efforts over the West Asia crisis, Graham said he did not “trust” Pakistan and questioned Islamabad’s neutrality following reports that Iranian aircraft were being sheltered at Pakistani airbases.
“I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them. If they actually do have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate,” Graham said.
The remarks came after reports by CBS News claimed that several Iranian aircraft had arrived at Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi days after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire arrangement with Iran earlier this year.
The report surfaced shortly after Pakistan confirmed that it had received Iranian peace proposals and had shared them with Washington as part of its mediation efforts.
Pakistan, however, strongly rejected the allegations, calling the reports “misleading and sensationalised.” In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office clarified that the Iranian aircraft arrived during the ceasefire period following the initial round of US-Iran peace talks and insisted there was “no linkage” to any military contingency or strategic protection arrangement.
Islamabad also accused unnamed quarters of attempting to undermine regional peace efforts through speculative narratives.
Meanwhile, President Trump signalled that the United States was under no pressure to rush negotiations with Tehran.
“We don’t have to rush anything. We have a blockade which allows them no money. It’s a very simple thing: we cannot let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said during an interview with New York’s TalkRadio 77 WABC.
When asked whether the US could stop Iran from enriching uranium and developing nuclear weapons, Trump responded confidently, saying, “100%. They’re going to stop.”
The latest developments underline growing tensions and diplomatic uncertainty surrounding efforts to de-escalate the prolonged conflict in West Asia, with concerns mounting over regional alliances, nuclear ambitions and the role of intermediary nations in the peace process.
