ISLAMABAD – In a dramatic turn of events, Pakistan, which had just recommended former U.S. President Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, strongly condemned his decision to bomb Iran less than 24 hours later.
On Saturday night, Pakistan had taken to X (formerly Twitter) with a glowing message, applauding Trump for his “decisive diplomatic leadership” in easing tensions between Pakistan and India following a deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir back in April. The post credited Trump with helping to pull the two nuclear-armed neighbors back from the brink of war — a move Pakistan believed was worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.
But by Sunday evening, the tone had completely shifted.
Islamabad issued a strongly worded condemnation after U.S. forces launched airstrikes on Iranian facilities, some of which Pakistan claimed were under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s protection. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally phoned Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to express Pakistan’s “deep concerns,” calling the attack a violation of international law.
Pakistan has maintained historically close ties with Iran, and in recent months has backed Tehran’s military responses against Israel, framing them as acts of self-defense.
Interestingly, the earlier peace prize praise for Trump came just after a high-profile lunch meeting at the White House between the former president and Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir. That meeting, which reportedly lasted over two hours, also included U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, Washington’s special envoy for Middle Eastern affairs.
A statement from Pakistan’s military later said both sides had discussed the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, and agreed on the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
India, meanwhile, wasn’t as impressed by Trump’s diplomatic involvement. New Delhi dismissed the idea of outside mediation in the Kashmir dispute, insisting it was an internal matter.
Kashmir, a long-disputed territory claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, has been the flashpoint of several wars. India continues to accuse Pakistan of harboring and backing militant groups in the region — a charge Islamabad denies.
For now, there’s no official word from Islamabad about whether it’s rethinking the Nobel nomination, but the sudden shift in tone suggests that Trump’s peace credentials — at least in Pakistan’s eyes — might not be as solid as they first appeared.
