Trump supports Pakistan as Iran’s mediator after criticism from Lindsey Graham | US-Israel War on Iran News

The US president praises Islamabad, but his Republican counterpart says he doesn’t believe Pakistan will support Iran talks.

Donald Trump also assured his support for Pakistan’s service as a mediator between Iran and the United States after Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the US President, criticized Islamabad’s talks.

In a speech on Tuesday, the US President praised the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif and his army chief Asim Munir, who helped negotiate a ceasefire with Iran that began last month.

Trump added that he no longer sees Pakistan as a mediator.

“He’s great. I think the Pakistanis have been great. The administration and the Prime Minister of Pakistan have been great,” Trump told reporters.

Hours earlier, Graham pressed the Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and US military commander Dan Caine regarding the CBS News report that Pakistan is allowing Iran to put military equipment in its airports, in order to protect them from US and Israeli attacks.

Both officials declined to comment on the authenticity of the report, citing concerns over negotiations between the US and Iran.

Asked by Graham whether it would be “unconscionable” for Pakistan to act as a mediator if the CBS report is confirmed, Hegseth said, “I would not want to get in the middle of that discussion.”

The Republican senator quickly implicated the defense secretary.

“I want to. I want to get in the middle of that conversation,” Graham said.

“I don’t trust Pakistan as much as I can throw at them. If they really have Iranian jets stationed in Pakistan’s territory to protect Iran’s military, it tells me that maybe we should look for someone else to mediate.

The senator – an outspoken foreign policy official who has been calling for regime change in Iran – is seen as one of the most influential figures in the Trump campaign.

Graham has also been one of the most vocal supporters of war with Iran, repeatedly warning Trump against agreeing to a deal that would include Tehran’s concessions.

A few weeks before the war began on February 28, Graham met The US president in Florida, where he gave Trump a hat that said, “Make Iran Great Again.”

Pakistan has been seeking to revive stalled talks between Iran and the US, following the April 8 ceasefire agreement.

On Sunday, Trump said Tehran’s latest ideas ending the war was “unacceptable”.

In late April, the US President announced that he was to send his representatives to Pakistan to meet with Iranian officials, but called off the trip after Iran pushed the US to remove naval blockades on its ports to resume talks.