“Pakistan is great,” Trump said, adding that PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir would like to see something happen.
Prime Minister Shehbaz, Field Marshal Munir and US President Donald Trump at the White House Photo: PMO X account
US President Donald Trump has once again praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for their efforts in facilitating peace and negotiations with Iran, despite yet another pause in the diplomatic process.
His remarks came after Trump canceled a planned visit by envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Pakistan for talks with Iranian officials. Iran’s foreign minister also left Pakistan following meetings with senior officials.
“I think Pakistan is great. Marshal (Asim Munir) is fantastic. I think the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Shehbaz Sharif) is great and, you know, they would like to see something happen,” Trump said in a video posted by Pakistan TV on X.
However, he announced that he would not send his team to Islamabad, citing the length and cost of travel. “But we’re not going to travel 15 or 16 hours to meet people that no one has ever heard of,” he said, adding that it would be very expensive and that he was “a very cost-conscious person.”
He reiterated that Iran should not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, saying Tehran had “offered a lot, but not enough.”
“They will not have a nuclear weapon. It’s very simple. The whole deal is not complicated. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
This is the second time this month that the US president has publicly praised Prime Minister Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir for their commitment to efforts to facilitate negotiations with Iran aimed at ending the conflict.
Read: US-Iran peace process hits roadblock as Trump cancels envoys’ trip and FM Araghchi leaves Pakistan
On April 17, Trump also praised Pakistani leaders, describing them as “fantastic people.” In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he wrote: “Thank you Pakistan and its great Prime Minister and Field Marshal, two fantastic people! »
The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, killing dozens of senior military officials, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, before a two-week ceasefire was brokered by Pakistan earlier this week.
Tehran responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries harboring U.S. military assets, and restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for oil and gas shipments.
Fighting then spread to Lebanon after Israel launched an offensive there, widening the conflict as the United States and Israel continued their attacks on Iran.
As the conflict continued to expand and intensify, Pakistan became a mediator alongside other regional powers in the escalating crisis. As the negotiation process began, the United States and Iran exchanged their respective positions, but initial discussions did not result in any progress. However, following Pakistan’s sustained diplomatic efforts, both sides agreed to hold talks in Islamabad last week.
But Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement in Islamabad over the weekend in negotiations that were part of broader efforts to end the conflict.
Washington remains stuck in a costly standoff with Tehran as tensions between the two sides continue to roil global energy markets. Iran has reportedly tightened controls over the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for global oil flows, while the United States maintains restrictions on Iranian oil exports. The standoff, alongside broader regional conflict, has pushed energy prices to multi-year highs and fueled concerns about global inflation and growth.
Iran has said its officials have no plans to meet with U.S. officials to discuss ending the conflict, escalating tensions in the region.
The situation briefly appeared to improve earlier this week when US President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire to allow more time for negotiations, following earlier inconclusive talks involving US and Iranian officials in Islamabad.
Trump told Reuters on Friday that he expected Iran to make an offer to meet U.S. demands, but declined to provide details. However, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad, Trump announced he had canceled a planned visit by U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for peace talks with Iran.
Trump’s history of praising Pakistani leadership
This was not the first time that Trump praised Pakistan’s civil and military leadership as last year, while addressing an international event on peace in Gaza on October 13, 2025, he said: “I want to thank Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan and I also have to say to my favorite Marshal of Pakistan who is not here but the Prime Minister is here… give him my regards.”
In other instances too, he appreciated PM Shehbaz and CDF Munir, crediting them with helping to avoid escalation in South Asia.
Relations between Pakistan and the United States underwent a significant thaw in 2025-2026, moving from a cold period to warm, strategic and pragmatic engagement during Trump’s second term. This shift is largely due to a major reset in relations following President Trump’s intervention in regional conflicts, particularly his role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in May 2025.
The first thaw in relations between Pakistan and the United States occurred through secret exchanges against terrorism, a sign of substantial cooperation. In March last year, Trump unexpectedly praised Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts during a national address, prompting a policy shift.
The short but intense May 2025 skirmish with India became a watershed moment, showcasing Pakistan’s military discipline, strategic focus and asymmetric capabilities – qualities that would have surprised Trump.
Despite India’s repeated denials, Prime Minister Shehbaz continued to praise President Trump for his role in brokering a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, and nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, saying his intervention helped save millions of lives.
The praise was reciprocal, with Trump praising the prime minister and also praising CDF Munir, reiterating his claims that he had helped avert a war between Pakistan and India in May 2025.
Relations between the two countries took a new turn when Trump invited CDF Munir to a lunch – the first such meeting for a Pakistani military leader – followed by a red carpet visit to the US Central Command headquarters for high-level talks.
Following a ceasefire after the protracted war in Gaza, Trump announced the formation of a “Peace Council” including Pakistan, again praising Prime Minister Shehbaz at his inaugural summit.
Addressing the event, Trump said, “I like this guy,” referring to the prime minister, as he recounted the efforts that led to last year’s ceasefire between Pakistan and India. He also congratulated CDF Munir during his address.
