US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Thursday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about recent developments in the Middle East, underlining a shared commitment to regional stability and non-proliferation amid renewed efforts to engage Iran.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif regarding events in the Middle East. Secretary Rubio emphasised that Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon,” US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.
“The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran and to maintain regional stability,” she added.
The call highlights Washington’s growing engagement with Islamabad at a time when the Biden administration is reportedly exploring a new diplomatic initiative with Tehran, possibly “as early as next week”.
Rubio’s statement that “Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon” will be interpreted in various ways in both Pakistan and the United States. Some may see it as an indication of alignment between the two countries, while others may view it as an affirmation of Pakistan’s position as a potential stabilising partner in a region fraught with uncertainty.
The latest contact builds on a series of high-level engagements, including a phone call last Friday in which PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction over what he described as a “cordial and productive discussion” between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
That meeting, held earlier this month at the White House, was notable for both its optics and timing. Munir became the first serving Pakistani army chief to be formally received by a sitting US president — a gesture widely interpreted as an acknowledgment of the military’s central role in Pakistan’s foreign and security policy.
The Pakistani military’s media wing later reported that the White House luncheon focused on joint counterterrorism efforts and the potential for expanded bilateral trade.
Trump, in remarks at a Nato summit in The Hague following the meeting, credited General Munir with helping to avert a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, referring to him — though not by name — as a quiet but decisive actor during last month’s standoff.
“The most important of these conflicts,” Trump said, “was last month’s war scare between India and Pakistan. And that was not whether or not they may someday have nukes, like we are talking about the Middle East… This is — they have nuclear weapons.”
Trump described how he intervened through a series of calls that linked trade to peace.
“If you are going to be fighting each other… we are not going to do any trade,” he recalled telling both sides. “They said, ‘No, no. No, you have to do a trade deal.’… And we stopped the nuclear war.”
Although Trump avoided naming General Munir directly, he has in the past referred to the Pakistani general as “an exceptional human being and an inspiring personality”.
These remarks, which closely mirror Pakistan’s version of events, stand in contrast to India’s official stance. New Delhi maintains it acted independently during the May crisis and rejects any suggestion of third-party mediation. Trump’s candid remarks suggest otherwise, indicating a more active White House role than previously acknowledged.
In his broader comments following last week’s White House meeting, Trump also noted: “The Pakistanis know Iran very well, better than most. But they are not happy.”
Though brief, this comment hints at Washington’s evolving perception of Pakistan — not merely as a South Asian actor but as a player with insight into regional dynamics. It also reinforces the relevance of Rubio’s phone call with Sharif, suggesting that the US is keen to draw on Islamabad’s experience as it revisits the idea of talks with Tehran.
Rubio’s statement on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon re-emphasises US strategic priorities. Pakistan’s apparent position — implicit in the call’s emphasis on peace and stability — may help strengthen its image in Washington as a constructive and responsible actor in a volatile neighborhood.
Observers say the back-to-back engagements — and Pakistan’s active role in both South Asian and Middle Eastern dialogues — signal a diplomatic moment of consequence, one in which Islamabad has the opportunity to shape outcomes far beyond its immediate borders.
