Washington and Islamabad are moving towards a warmer security relationship after Pakistan’s leadership helped open channels for talks aimed at ending the US-Iran conflict, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth describing the shift as the growth of a “true friendship”.Hegseth made the remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where defence chiefs, diplomats and military officials gathered against the backdrop of the Iran war, tensions in the Indo-Pacific and questions over US strategic priorities. Responding to a question on regional partnerships, he praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for their role in peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
“I mentioned India here, but I very easily could have mentioned Pakistan and the role that the field marshal and the prime minister are playing in peace negotiations,” Hegseth said, adding that the engagement represented an “unexpected development” in ties between the two countries.
The comments mark one of the clearest public acknowledgements by the Trump administration of Pakistan’s role in back-channel diplomacy over Iran. Islamabad has presented itself as a bridge between Washington and Tehran, arguing that its ties with Iran, Gulf capitals, China and the United States give it a position that few other states can occupy at a time of heightened regional risk.
Pakistan’s mediation push gained momentum after a ceasefire reached in April opened space for talks between US and Iranian negotiators. Islamabad hosted mediation efforts and helped relay proposals and messages between the two sides. Munir travelled to Tehran for meetings with Iran’s leadership and peace negotiators, while Sharif held consultations with regional powers, including China, as Pakistan sought backing for a broader diplomatic framework.
Hegseth’s praise comes as Washington keeps military pressure on Tehran while exploring a political settlement. The Pentagon chief said the United States remained capable of restarting strikes if negotiations failed, but added that President Donald Trump wanted a deal that would prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Trump is weighing a proposal that would extend the early-April truce by another 60 days, giving negotiators more time to pursue a durable settlement.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel on 28 February, has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and caused disruption across energy markets after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. Any agreement is expected to focus on nuclear restrictions, maritime access, sanctions relief and guarantees intended to prevent a wider regional escalation.
Pakistan’s role has also drawn attention from Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Sharif in Beijing on 25 May and praised Pakistan’s efforts on Iran, while reaffirming China’s “all-weather” partnership with Islamabad. Sharif was accompanied by Munir, underlining the central role of Pakistan’s military leadership in the diplomatic track. China and Pakistan had earlier backed a five-point initiative calling for peace talks and restoration of normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
For Pakistan, the diplomacy offers a chance to regain strategic relevance after years of strained ties with Washington over Afghanistan, counterterrorism and Islamabad’s deep security partnership with Beijing. US-Pakistan relations have often moved through cycles of cooperation and suspicion, but the Iran channel has created an opportunity for practical engagement on an issue that directly affects Gulf security, energy markets and wider Asian stability.
The shift does not erase the complications. Pakistan remains closely aligned with China, retains a tense relationship with India and faces internal security and economic pressures. Washington, meanwhile, continues to balance its engagement with Islamabad against a wider Indo-Pacific strategy that places heavy emphasis on partnerships with India, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Southeast Asian states.
Hegseth used the Singapore forum to stress that the United States had not turned away from the Asia-Pacific despite its involvement in the Middle East. He said Washington could handle more than one strategic theatre at a time and was expanding defence production to ensure its military plans were properly resourced. His comments were aimed partly at reassuring Asian partners worried that the Iran war could dilute US attention from China’s military rise.
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