Pakistani defense minister says Iran war unlikely to resume

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on Monday that his "hunch" is that the Iran war will not break out again. This assessment is driven primarily by strong domestic public opposition within the United States against getting directly dragged into another military conflict in the Middle East.

Key Points of the Statement

• U.S. Public Sentiment: Asif highlighted that American public opinion heavily opposes entering a fresh Middle Eastern war, which acts as a deterrent for Washington.
• Context of the Conflict: The war initially erupted following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran on February 28, triggering widespread regional escalation and a subsequent Iranian blockade of the critical Strait of Hormuz.
• Pakistan’s Diplomatic Role: Pakistan has actively positioned itself as a primary diplomatic intermediary and mediator. On May 18, Pakistani officials successfully handed a revised 14-point Iranian proposal over to U.S. negotiators in Islamabad to help sustain the fragile peace process.

Broad Regional Friction

• The U.S. Stance: Despite the diplomatic push, U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the "clock is ticking". He publicly confirmed that a planned massive military strike was briefly held off following requests from Saudi, Emirati, and Qatari leaders, but a full-scale assault remains ready on a moment's notice if negotiations fall apart.
• The Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran maintains that reopening the vital global energy corridor is impossible while the strict U.S. naval blockade remains in place.
• Sustained Diplomatic Efforts: Reports from Arab News Pakistan and Al Jazeera indicate that despite the tense atmosphere and low-intensity provocations, direct dialogue mediated by Islamabad remains the most active pathway to avoiding a return to full-scale war.