Washington D.C. [US]April 18 (ANI): Recent Fox News reports and US intelligence conversations have pointed to Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir as a potential liability to the Trump administration, citing his long-standing ties to Iran’s top military brass.
The Fox report called Munir a potential “red flag” for the Trump administration because of his deep-seated connections to the Iranian leadership.
Retired Pakistani general Ahmed Saeed told Fox News Digital that Munir maintained personal relationships with senior Iranian figures, including slain Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and IRGC commander Hossein Salami.
Those ties are coming under scrutiny as Munir acts as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
While President Trump has publicly praised Munir, calling him his “favorite quarterback,” intelligence officials warn that his dual role could compromise American interests.
The Fox report warned that Pakistan’s history as a “perfidious ally” (particularly in Afghanistan) makes its close coordination with Iran a security risk.
Analysts point to Pakistan’s record in Afghanistan, where Islamabad backed the Taliban while raising American aid, as cause for caution.
Bill Roggio of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told Fox News Digital: “Trump should not trust the Pakistanis. Pakistan was a perfidious ‘ally’ in Afghanistan… Munir’s ties to the IRGC should be a huge red flag for the Trump administration.”
FDD analysts argued that Munir could be using his relationship with Trump to protect Iranian interests or to entrench Pakistan as an indispensable but unreliable intermediary.
Pakistani analyst Raza Rumi said Munir’s rise reflects “the military leadership increasingly eclipsing the civilian one in Pakistan.”
Critics point out that since Munir became army chief in late 2022, Pakistan has seen an intensified crackdown on political opposition, including the sidelining of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Fox News highlighted Munir’s comments in November 2024 at the Margalla Dialogue in Islamabad, where he warned that “the absence of adequate regulations for freedom of expression is leading to the deterioration of moral values in societies around the world.”
The outlet said the comment underscores his preference for centralized authority. Rumi described Munir’s worldview as “transactional, statist rather than ideological”, in which foreign policy is increasingly directed by Headquarters rather than elected officials.
Fox News highlighted how critics say this reflects a broader reality that Pakistan’s foreign policy is increasingly led by the military rather than the elected government.
Despite these warnings, President Trump appears to rely heavily on Munir. Their relationship was solidified during the India-Pakistan crisis of May 2025, where Munir was credited with helping reduce tensions.
Munir is currently facilitating secondary communications between the Trump administration (specifically involving Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff) and Tehran.
Trump has publicly credited Munir for doing a “great job” organizing peace talks, even as Vice President JD Vance recently walked out of negotiations in Pakistan, citing Iran’s refusal to make firm nuclear commitments.
The situation remains a point of contention within the administration, which balances Trump’s preference for “strongman” diplomacy with the intelligence community’s cautious view of Munir’s regional allegiances. (ANI)
(This content comes from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility for its accuracy, completeness or content.)
