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Pakistan’s credibility as a mediator in the United States-Iran negotiation talks has once again come under intense scrutiny after US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned that Islamabad’s long-standing hostility towards Israel makes its role in regional diplomacy highly contentious amid escalating tensions in West Asia.
In a strongly worded statement posted on X, Lindsey Graham said Pakistan’s position as a mediator was “more than problematic”, while alleging that Iranian military aircraft were being housed at Pakistani air bases. The Republican Senator also pointed to recent remarks made by senior Pakistani leaders against Israel, calling the rhetoric “disturbing” and raising concerns over Islamabad’s neutrality in any future negotiations involving Tehran.
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“It has been apparent to me for quite a while that Pakistan as a mediator is more than problematic,” Lindsey Graham said, while arguing that Pakistan’s animosity towards Israel was neither recent nor isolated.
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Lindsey Graham’s remarks come at a time when diplomatic efforts surrounding Iran and the wider Middle East remain under global scrutiny following renewed discussions linked to ceasefire arrangements and regional security.
It has been apparent to me for quite a while that Pakistan as a mediator is more than problematic. Their animosity towards Israel is long standing.
It is undeniable that Iranian military aircraft are being housed on Pakistani air bases and past rhetoric from the highest… https://t.co/ksLqpw4ZQ4
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 26, 2026
Abraham Accords debate intensifies
The latest criticism also followed comments made by Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif rejecting calls for Islamabad to join the Abraham Accords pushed by US President Donald Trump.
Reacting to those remarks, Lindsey Graham said the comments reflected a continuing anti-Israel sentiment within Pakistan’s leadership. Referring to an earlier interview clip of Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the Senator said even if the footage was old, the thinking behind it appeared unchanged.
Lindsey Graham also urged Pakistan to publicly clarify its official position on Donald Trump’s appeal for Muslim-majority nations to join the Abraham Accords.
What Khawaja Muhammad Asif said
During an interview with Pakistani broadcaster Samaa TV, Khawaja Muhammad Asif rejected the possibility of Pakistan becoming part of the Abraham Accords, saying Islamabad should not enter into any arrangement that conflicted with the country’s “fundamental ideologies”.
Questioning Israel’s credibility, the Pakistan Defence Minister said trust could not be placed in a country “even for a single day”. He also reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing refusal to recognise Israel and pointed to the country’s passport policy, under which Israel is not acknowledged.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif maintained that Pakistan’s position on the issue remained unchanged and unacceptable from Islamabad’s perspective.
Trump pushes wider regional deal
The controversy erupted after Donald Trump called for several Muslim and Arab countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, to join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional realignment linked to negotiations with Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said talks with Iran were “proceeding nicely” and called the proposed diplomatic arrangement a potential “historic event” for the Middle East.
The US President also warned that failure to secure an agreement could push the region back towards a larger military confrontation.
Abraham Accords back in spotlight
The Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States in 2020, led to the normalisation of ties between Israel and several Arab nations, reshaping diplomatic and security equations across the Middle East.
Fresh debate over Pakistan’s stance has now brought the agreement back into focus, with growing international attention on whether Islamabad could face mounting pressure to clarify its position on engagement with Israel as regional negotiations evolve.
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