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Iran regime change could align India, Tehran, Afghanistan: Khawaja Asif's ‘vassal state’ warning for Pak
Khawaja Asif alleged that the war on Iran was driven by a “Zionist” agenda aimed at extending Israel’s influence up to Pakistan’s borders.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday invoked India while commenting on the ongoing Middle East conflict, warning that a regime change in Iran could align Tehran, New Delhi and Afghanistan against Pakistan.
In a lengthy post on social media platform X, Asif alleged that the war on Iran was driven by a “Zionist” agenda aimed at extending Israel’s influence up to Pakistan’s borders.
“Despite Iran's readiness for agreement, a war has been imposed upon them, and its agenda, orchestrated by the Zionists, includes bringing Israel's influence right up to Pakistan's border,” Asif said in the post, as quoted by Geo News.
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Pakistan alleges ‘Zionist’ agenda
Pakistan has long accused India of using the Taliban as a proxy, a claim New Delhi denies. Asif now suggests that a regime change in Iran could create a strategic alignment between Pakistan’s three neighbours against Islamabad.
“The joint single point agenda of Afghanistan, Iran, and India will then be enmity towards Pakistan, making our borders insecure, surrounding us with enemies from all sides, and turning Pakistan into a vassal state,” he said in the post.
Khawaja Asif, who has frequently used anti-India rhetoric in the past, also called on the country’s 250 million citizens to recognise what he described as a conspiracy against Pakistan.
“It is necessary for all 250 million Pakistanis, regardless of their political or religious affiliations, to understand this conspiracy and the intentions of our eternal enemies,” he added.
What is happening?
Even as Asif focused on the US-Israeli war with Iran, Pakistan is simultaneously facing a sharp escalation in tensions with Afghanistan.
The latest confrontation - considered the worst between the two countries in years, began last week after Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said they carried out retaliatory strikes on Pakistani installations following Pakistan’s targeting of militants inside Afghanistan.
Over the past week, Islamabad has launched air-to-ground missiles at Taliban military sites and has for the first time directly targeted the Taliban government, accusing it of harbouring militants responsible for attacks on Pakistan.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Tuesday that at least 42 civilians have been killed and 104 wounded in Afghanistan in the fighting with Pakistan between February 26 and March 2.
