President Trump’s threat to destroy “a whole civilization” if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz sparked fear around the world. However, Pakistan’s astute diplomacy led to a two-week ceasefire.
Abbas Hashemite
Ceasefire Achieved Amid Global Anxiety
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a war criminal and butcher of Palestinians, also welcomed the ceasefire deal by stating that Israel supports US President Donald Trump’s efforts to ensure “Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile, and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors, and the world”. However, he added that the two-week truce “does not include Lebanon.” Israel continues to violate the ceasefire by bombing different areas in Southern Lebanon, showing that the Zionist entity seeks to sabotage the ceasefire.
If the United States and Israel use this ceasefire to reorganize and to prepare for a ground invasion of Iran, it would significantly damage Islamabad’s reputation as a mediator
Even before the ceasefire deal, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar blamed Israel for trying to derail the Iran-US ceasefire talks. He stated, “A dangerous development took place last (Monday) night. Israel attacked Iran at a stage when both sides (Washington and Tehran) were set to sit down. We were very optimistic (about talks) before (Monday) night.” These developments could prove detrimental to the success of the ceasefire, as Israel is already violating it by attacking Lebanon. The US and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 was also conducted during ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran. Therefore, the peace process is already shadowed by a deep trust deficit.
Deception, Distrust, and Past Precedents
The Iranian leadership is already skeptical about the United States’ reliability due to its previous deceptions. There is a strong belief in Iran and among global analysts that the United States and Israel might repeat their decades-old strategy. After the 1949 UN-brokered Armistice Agreement, Israel reorganized its military, solidified its military installations, and attacked the Arab nations in violation of the ceasefire. Similarly, the United States and Israel deceived Iran under the veneer of negotiations twice from 2025 to 2026.
The United States engaged Iran in peace talks in mid-2025. Both sides were making positive progress. However, Israel conducted unprovoked attacks on Iran during the negotiations in June 2025. The same happened in February this year when Oman mediated nuclear negotiations between the two sides. According to Omani representatives, the diplomatic talks were making progress. Despite this positive progress, the United States and Israel conducted military strikes on different targets in Iran on February 28, killing the country’s key military and civilian leadership.
Retaliation and the Shattered Global Perception
In retaliation, Iran targeted Israel and key US interests in the whole Middle Eastern region. Iran’s strong retaliation, despite the death of its top military and civilian leadership, tarnished the US military’s international image and weakened its global perception. Due to the massive and effective retaliation of the Iranian military, including shooting down US military jets, the American military and air force have lost their prestige. One of the major impacts of this war was that the concept of the United States’ global supremacy was shattered. In addition, NATO’s refusal to participate in this self-imposed and unprovoked war on Iran has further deteriorated the situation for the United States.
The US President Donald Trump seemed frustrated over the situation. His threat to wipe out an entire civilization if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz was seen globally as a symbol of his desperation over the situation. He threatened Iran by stating, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have complete and total regime change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionary and wonderful can happen. WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death will finally end. God Bless the great people of Iran!”
This sparked fear around the globe. Many speculated that the United States could use a nuclear bomb in Iran. However, the US officials denied all such reports. Pakistan, being one of the few countries having strong ties with both the US and Iran, engaged with both sides for diplomatic resolution of the conflict. Pakistan’s efforts succeeded as the two sides agreed on a two-week ceasefire. As per reports, US President Donald Trump has agreed to a 10-point peace proposal by Iran, calling it a “workable basis on which to negotiate.” The delegations from both sides will meet in Pakistan on April 10 to finalize a peace agreement between the two sides.
Pakistan’s Pivotal Role: Triumphs and Risks
With the ceasefire between the two sides, Pakistan has emerged as a key diplomatic player on the global level. Indeed, saving “a whole civilization” from death is a great achievement for Pakistan. However, this role comes with great responsibility and risks. The deceptive history of the US and Israel makes it dangerous for Pakistan. Israel has already conducted 100 airstrikes in Lebanon in 10 minutes, killing more than 1530 people and injuring 4812. If the United States and Israel use this ceasefire to reorganize and to prepare for a ground invasion of Iran, it would significantly damage Islamabad’s reputation as a mediator. This would also make Islamabad suspicious in the eyes of the Iranian leadership. Furthermore, it could erode global confidence in international rules and norms, potentially signaling the collapse of the liberal world order.
Аbbas Hashemite is a political observer and research analyst for regional and global geopolitical issues. He is currently working as an independent researcher and journalist
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