Washington: Pakistan has established itself as the primary go-between the US and Iran in the two-month-long conflict.
However, Pakistan is now reportedly drawing Washington’s wrath for betraying its ally by approving six land corridors for Iran to ship goods to Russia, China and other destinations, reported NDTV.
Pakistan formally announced the routes last week, providing an alternative to the disrupted sea lanes via the Strait of Hormuz.
Derek J. Grossman, a prominent US national security analyst, cautioned that these overland paths will weaken President Trump’s policy of maximum economic pressure on Iran as they enable Tehran to evade the American Navy’s blockade of its ports and keep exporting oil without interruption.
“Trump administration, you have a problem. Your good friend Pakistan appears to have just opened six overland links to Iran, helping the regime bypass your counter-blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. This will help Iran continue to resist US pressure. Islamabad double-deals America again!” Grossman posted on X.
Doubts over Islamabad’s mediator role
This has intensified scrutiny of Pakistan’s impartiality as a mediator.
Israel termed it unreliable earlier this month. Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said the South Asian nation was not “trustworthy.”
Iran has voiced similar concerns about Pakistan’s neutrality. Ebrahim Rezaei, who represents Iran’s Dashtestan district and speaks for its National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, called Islamabad a “good friend” of Tehran but insisted it is “not a suitable intermediary,” arguing it leans toward US interests.
Trump’s naval blockade of Iranian ports seeks to squeeze Tehran’s economy hard enough to compel it to agree to US conditions and conclude the war favourably for America. This week, he instructed officials to gear up for an extended standoff, as negotiations have stalled, making it a battle of endurance and attrition.
However, Pakistan’s approval of the six routes seems to undermine that plan. According a report in the Dawn, more than 3,000 Iran-bound cargo containers are queued up at Pakistani ports awaiting clearance, and ready for land-based transit.
