ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir has warned that US President Donald Trump is consumed by rage over the faltering Iran ceasefire and could lash out at Pakistan next with demands that would strike like a bomb on the entire system.
Mir made the explosive assessment during a recent Capital Talk broadcast on Geo News as Washington scrambled for an exit from its deepening conflict with Tehran.
Trump has publicly rejected ceasefire overtures and issued fresh threats against Iranian infrastructure including the Strait of Hormuz which handles 21 percent of global oil trade.
Iran has denied any request for talks and rejected a US-proposed 48-hour truce conveyed through third parties.
Pakistan has emerged as the unlikely mediator shuttling 15-point American demands and Iranian counter-conditions between the two capitals.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed Islamabad hosted crisis meetings with diplomats from Turkey Saudi Arabia and Egypt while China voiced full support for Pakistani-led talks.
Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran currently stands at roughly 3 billion dollars with both sides targeting 10 billion dollars through new connectivity projects.
The 900-kilometre shared border remains a security flashpoint after tit-for-tat missile strikes in 2024 and ongoing militant activity in Balochistan.
United States aid to Pakistan has totalled nearly 67 billion dollars in constant terms since 1951 though levels dropped sharply during Trump’s first term to a low of 87 million dollars in fiscal 2021.
Washington remains Pakistan’s largest export market with 6 billion dollars in annual imports mainly textiles while Pakistan buys 3.2 billion dollars in American goods.
Analysts note that any fresh Trump pressure could threaten this economic lifeline at a time when Islamabad is navigating IMF programmes and post-flood recovery.
Mir described Trump’s frustration level as dangerously high saying the American leader is prepared to go to any extreme in his desperation to claim victory against Iran.
If ceasefire efforts collapse entirely the next demand on Pakistan could involve logistical support bases or intelligence sharing against Tehran which would shatter Islamabad’s careful balancing act between Washington and its neighbour.
Such a move would risk immediate retaliation from Iran including disruption of smuggled fuel supplies that meet nearly 30 percent of Pakistan’s domestic consumption.
Field Marshal Asim Munir’s rapport with Trump has so far enabled quiet diplomacy yet regional media reports suggest limits are being tested.
BBC and CNN coverage highlights Pakistan’s high-stakes gamble noting that failure could force Islamabad into an unwanted alignment or face punitive measures reminiscent of past aid suspensions.
International outlets have reported Pakistan’s mediation efforts but stopped short of Mir’s blunt prediction of imminent explosive demands.
Local television channels and newspapers however echo the concern that Trump’s anger may soon redirect towards Islamabad with consequences rippling through the nuclear-armed nation’s political and military establishment.
Pakistan’s foreign office has so far maintained strategic silence while emphasising its role as a peace facilitator.
Defence analysts calculate that any forced involvement in the Iran conflict would cost billions in additional military expenditure and expose long porous borders to escalated infiltration.
Energy security remains another vulnerability as Strait of Hormuz disruptions have already spiked global oil prices affecting Pakistan’s import bill.
Mir’s warning has sparked intense debate in Islamabad drawing attention to the narrow window for de-escalation before Trump’s patience runs out completely.
With ceasefire talks stalled at critical junctures the coming days could determine whether Pakistan escapes the fallout or becomes the next front in Trump’s escalating regional strategy.