Just a day after praising President Donald Trump as a peacemaker deserving of a Nobel Prize, Pakistan condemned his decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, calling the move a violation of international law.
On Saturday, the Pakistani government lauded Trump’s role in helping defuse a volatile standoff with India, which escalated after an April massacre of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. The two nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged attacks in the following weeks until intense U.S.-led diplomacy led to a truce. Pakistan praised Trump’s “decisive diplomatic intervention” and “pivotal leadership,” crediting him with averting war.
But less than 24 hours later, Islamabad sharply criticized the U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. In a statement, Pakistani officials said the attacks violated international law and the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a Sunday phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, voiced concern that the bombings targeted facilities under IAEA oversight. Pakistan, which maintains close ties with Iran, reiterated its support for Iran’s “right to self-defense” against Israeli aggression.
A Dramatic Shift in Tone
The reversal highlighted the complex balancing act Pakistan faces—maintaining ties with both Washington and Tehran. The condemnation followed widespread protests across Pakistani cities, where demonstrators, especially from Shiite communities, burned U.S. flags and denounced Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
Still, some Pakistani officials hinted at the country’s strategic calculus in publicly aligning with Trump. Former Senate Defense Committee Chair Mushahid Hussain told Reuters:
“Trump is good for Pakistan. If this panders to Trump’s ego, so be it. All the European leaders have been sucking up to him big time.”
There was no immediate response from Islamabad on whether it still supports calls for Trump to receive a Nobel Peace Prize—a suggestion floated after Trump met with Pakistan’s powerful army chief, General Asim Munir, during a high-profile lunch at the White House last week. That meeting also included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff.
According to a Pakistani military statement, both sides discussed the “prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel,” and emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution.
Trump’s Focus Shifts
Trump had been scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G-7 summit in Canada but abruptly returned to Washington for emergency consultations in the Situation Room following Iran’s retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
The shift from peacemaker to wartime commander has stirred debate even within Trump’s circle. While the president insisted that regime change in Iran is not America’s goal, critics and allies alike are questioning the administration’s endgame.
Last week, Trump used social media to take credit for recent global diplomatic breakthroughs:
“I got India and Pakistan to make peace using TRADE with the United States… brought reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who stopped the madness quickly!”
Yet even as he touted his achievements, Trump expressed frustration over not receiving the global recognition he believes he deserves:
“No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do… including Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Iran. But the people know, and that’s all that matters to me!”
What’s Next
As the U.S. deepens its involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, Pakistan’s reaction signals a potentially strained diplomatic landscape. Trump, meanwhile, is expected to hold further talks with defense and foreign policy officials as the region braces for the next phase of escalation—or possible diplomacy.
