U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said he does not trust Pakistan and urged the U.S. to find a new mediator for talks with Iran.
This shift in diplomatic trust could jeopardize current efforts to use Islamabad as a neutral bridge between Washington and Tehran. If the U.S. moves away from Pakistani mediation, it may signal a broader deterioration of security cooperation between the two nations.
Graham said this during a Senate hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 24 [1]. The senator's remarks followed reports that Pakistan was allowing Iranian aircraft to be housed on its bases to protect military assets from potential strikes.
"I don't trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them," Graham said. "If they actually do have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate" [2].
The senator expressed a broader frustration with the region's geopolitical dynamics during the proceedings. "I appreciate all you've done. I'm very supportive of it, but when it comes to Pakistan and China, enough already," Graham said [3].
While some reports suggest the aircraft were specifically kept at the Nur Khan Airbase, other sources only state that Iranian assets are being sheltered on Pakistani bases without naming a specific location [4]. Graham said such actions undermine Pakistan's credibility as a neutral party in U.S.–Iran negotiations.
He reiterated his lack of confidence in the Pakistani government, saying, "I don't trust Pakistan" [5].
“"I don't trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them."”
The tension highlighted by Sen. Graham reflects a growing skepticism in the U.S. Congress regarding Pakistan's ability to balance its relationships with Iran, China, and the United States. By questioning Pakistan's role as a mediator, Graham is signaling that military cooperation between Islamabad and Tehran is viewed by some U.S. policymakers as a breach of trust that outweighs the strategic benefit of using Pakistan as a diplomatic conduit.
