---
title: "Pakistani defense minister says Iran war unlikely to resume"  
description: "Pakistani defense minister says Iran war unlikely to resume"  
author: "Yogendra  Mohan"  
published: 2026-05-18  
updated: 2026-05-18  
canonical: https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/88536/pakistani-defense-minister-says-iran-war-unlikely-to-resume  
category: "news"  
tags: ["news"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# Pakistani defense minister says Iran war unlikely to resume

**Pakistan's Defense Minister** [**Khawaja Muhammad Asif**](https://www.google.com/search?q=khawaja+muhammad+asif&kgmid=/m/03whb_6#sv=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) 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](https://www.mindstick.com/news/2228/the-united-states-claims-seagate-broke-export-laws-by-selling-huawei-hard-drives) against getting directly dragged into another military [conflict in the Middle](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/112091/what-are-the-geopolitical-implications-of-the-conflict-in-the-middle-east) East.

## Key Points of the Statement

- **U.S. Public Sentiment**: Asif highlighted that American [public opinion](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114465/how-do-evolving-social-media-trends-effectively-shape-public-opinion-and-mobilize-action) 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](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/88550/lebanon-remains-under-israeli-strikes-india-condemns-attack-on-un-peacekeepers) on Tehran on February 28, triggering widespread regional escalation and a subsequent Iranian blockade of the critical **[Strait of Hormuz](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/88520/donald-trump-sends-warships-to-break-iran-s-strait-of-hormuz-blockade)**.
- **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](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/114208/what-are-the-latest-developments-in-the-middle-east-peace-process-this-year).

## Broad Regional Friction

- **The U.S. Stance**: Despite the diplomatic push, U.S. [President Donald](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/81357/us-president-donald-trump-targets-china-yet-again) 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](https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644095/pakistan) and [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/5/18/iran-war-live-trump-warns-clock-ticking-saudi-uae-report-drone-attacks?update=4581724) 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.

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Original Source: https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/88536/pakistani-defense-minister-says-iran-war-unlikely-to-resume

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