US President Donald Trump on Sunday praised Pakistan’s political and military leadership, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir were “great people” who had played an active role in facilitating contacts between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Fox News on ongoing US–Iran engagement, Trump said he held “great respect” for Pakistan’s leadership, crediting them for helping bring both sides closer to dialogue. He added that Islamabad would continue to remain involved in the diplomatic process aimed at easing tensions between the United States and Iran.

Trump also confirmed that a planned visit by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been cancelled, arguing that the proposed travel to Islamabad involved “too much cost and logistics”. He suggested that direct communication channels were sufficient for ongoing discussions, remarking that “there is a telephone, and we have secure lines”.

The US president referred to earlier talks hosted in Islamabad on 11 April, describing them as an important initial step in bringing American and Iranian representatives to the same negotiating framework after years of limited engagement. He repeated his appreciation for the Pakistani leadership’s “competence and kindness” in facilitating those contacts.

Trump further said that Pakistan’s mediation efforts had broader implications, claiming that regional diplomacy had helped avert wider conflict in South Asia. He reiterated his earlier assertion that Pakistani leaders had thanked him for what he described as preventing a large-scale war involving India.

Islamabad’s role in the US–Iran outreach has drawn international attention, with Field Marshal Munir reportedly central to hosting delegations and maintaining engagement with visiting officials, including US Vice President JD Vance, during recent discussions.

Trump has previously referred to Munir as his “favourite field marshal”, reflecting a rapport developed during earlier crisis diplomacy efforts involving Pakistan and India. The latest remarks underline Washington’s continued reliance on informal regional intermediaries amid stalled formal negotiations with Tehran.

© Naya Daur