Trump Signals Possible Pakistan Visit if Iran Deal
is Signed
·
Potential visit: Donald Trump said he may travel
to Pakistan if a peace deal with Iran is finalized there.
·
Negotiation venue: Pakistan
is expected to host the next round of U.S.-Iran talks, with Islamabad
emerging as a key mediator.
·
Praise for Pakistan leadership:
o
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
o
Army Chief Asim Munir
o
Trump called their role in mediation “great”
·
Cease-fire situation:
o
Current U.S.-Iran cease-fire is fragile and
nearing expiry
o
Trump hinted a deal may come soon but warned fighting
could resume if talks fail
·
Diplomatic efforts:
o
Pakistani mediators recently visited Iran to
sustain negotiations
o
Pakistan has actively courted Trump, even
nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize
·
Optimistic stance:
o
Trump said Iran is now willing to make more
concessions than before
o
Described the war situation as progressing
positively
·
Economic angle:
o
Downplayed concerns over rising oil prices and
inflation
o
Linked optimism to strong stock market performance
Key
Takeaway
Pakistan has emerged as a critical diplomatic
bridge in U.S.-Iran negotiations, with Trump signaling
a possible visit to finalize a deal—though uncertainty remains as the
cease-fire deadline approaches.
President
Trump said on Thursday (16.04.2026) that he might travel to Pakistan if a deal
to end the war in Iran was signed there, hours after the country said it
expected to host a second round of negotiations between American and Iranian
officials.
Senior
Pakistani mediators were in Tehran this week in an effort to shore up a fragile
U.S.-Iran cease-fire that is set to expire next week. A reporter asked Mr.
Trump outside the White House on Thursday afternoon if he would visit Pakistan
to “seal the deal yourself.” He said yes.
“If
the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go,” Mr. Trump said. He added that
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, as well as the country’s army chief,
Field Marshal Asim Munir, had been “great.”
“So I might go,” he said. “They want me.”
Mr.
Trump has repeatedly praised Pakistan and its leaders for their mediation work
with Iran. Pakistani officials have been courting Mr. Trump since last year,
including by nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
On
Thursday, Mr. Trump deflected questions about whether he would extend the
cease-fire with Iran, telling reporters that it might not be necessary and
expressing optimism about striking a deal.
“They’re
willing to do things today that they weren’t willing to do two months ago,” he
said, without providing any details.
Mr.
Trump said the next in-person negotiations with Iran might occur over the
weekend, but warned that fighting would resume if no deal emerged.
Later
on Thursday in Las Vegas, where Mr. Trump traveled for an event aimed at promoting his economic
policies, he said the war in Iran “is going swimmingly,” insisting again that
it would end soon.
He
also appeared to criticize advisers who had warned him against going to war
with Iran because it would affect fuel prices. He described rising costs as
“fake inflation.”
“We
have consultants,” Mr. Trump said, recounting the conversation, “‘Sir, if you
do this, fuel is going to go to $300 a barrel. The Depression is going to
happen.’ That can’t happen because we just hit a brand new all-time high.”
That
was an apparent reference to the stock market, which hit a fresh record high
this week, reflecting investors’ optimism that a peace deal would be reached
before the war could inflict significant damage on corporate America.
While
oil prices have dropped from their most recent peak, they are still much higher
than they were before the start of the war.