Iran War: Pakistan's 'Mediator' Lie Exposed; Former Diplomat Blows Lid Off Shahbaz and Munir

New Delhi: Amidst the conflict involving Iran, Pakistan had been portraying itself as an intermediary, claiming to be playing the role of a mediator between Iran and the United States. However, the truth has now come to light. Sanjay Sudhir, India's former Ambassador to the UAE, has exposed the reality of Pakistan's West Asia diplomacy, stating that Islamabad was never a true mediator in the Iran-US conflict; rather, at best, it was merely playing the role of a messenger.

What did Sanjay Sudhir say about Pakistan?

In an exclusive interview with the news agency ANI, Sudhir remarked that until recently, Pakistan had been loudly trumpeting its status as a mediator, but in reality, it was far from being one. It was, at most, a mere messenger. True mediation implies that both parties sit face-to-face with the mediator to engage in dialogue—something that never actually occurred. Consequently, Iran has effectively unmasked Pakistan's pretense.

In fact, Iran has reportedly refused to meet with any US-led delegation on Pakistani soil. According to a report by *The Wall Street Journal*, Tehran has termed the US demands "unacceptable," thereby all but extinguishing the prospects for a speedy resolution and pushing Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to the sidelines. This diplomatic setback comes at a time when Pakistan finds itself in an extremely precarious economic position. The United Arab Emirates has demanded that Pakistan repay its outstanding loans within one month.

Commenting on this, Sudhir stated, "I spent four years in the UAE. The UAE has always been generous toward Pakistan regarding loan repayments, but there is a limit to everything. There comes a time when every sovereign nation must repay its debts. I believe that time has now arrived."

Why is Pakistan in trouble?

According to a report by the 'Dawn' newspaper, Pakistan has decided to repay a loan of US$ 3.5 billion to the UAE before the end of the month. A senior Pakistani official described this move as a step toward upholding "national dignity," asserting that financial gains cannot be prioritized over national dignity. The amount is to be repaid as soon as possible. This sum was provided in 2019 through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development to stabilize Pakistan's balance of payments. Currently, Pakistan is under a program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is required to secure a rollover of approximately $12.5 billion from key partners, including China, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The foreign exchange reserves held by Pakistan's central bank currently stand at approximately $16.3 billion. The repayment of $3 billion could result in a reduction of nearly 18 percent in these reserves, thereby severely impacting the country's external stability and import capacity. Meanwhile, economic analysts have warned that unless this shortfall is offset by fresh investments, it will exert additional pressure on the Pakistani currency and could complicate the IMF program.