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Israel envoy slams Pakistan’s credibility in Iran ceasefire, says US has ‘own reasons’ for engaging
Reuven Azar said that Israel aimed to give “the Iranian people an opportunity to embrace their future by debilitating the regime,” asserting, “We achieved that”
Israel’s ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has cast doubt on Pakistan’s role as a mediator in the ongoing US-Iran ceasefire talks, saying Israel does not view Islamabad as a “credible player”.
“We don't see Pakistan as a credible player,” Azar said in an interview with news agency ANI. He added that Washington may have its own reasons for engaging Pakistan, saying, “the United States has decided to use the services of the facilitation of Pakistan for their own reasons.” Track US-Iran war live updates.
Drawing parallels, he said America has previously worked with “problematic states like Qatar and Turkey” to broker agreements, including with Hamas. “For us, it is very important to stay in sync with the United States when it comes to the substance and the essence of the outcome we want to see,” the Israeli envoy said.
US delegation headed to Pakistan
Azar’s remarks come as a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran has been announced, with US Vice President JD Vance set to lead a delegation to Pakistan for mediated talks aimed at securing a long-term agreement later this week.
Speaking on the ceasefire, Azar said Israel hopes negotiations will lead to the “removal of two existential threats” — Iran’s nuclear programme and its ballistic missile production.
He added that Israel aimed to give “the Iranian people an opportunity to embrace their future by debilitating the regime,” asserting, “We achieved that.”
With military operations now easing, he said Israel is shifting focus. “Now that our military action has been exhausted, we are moving to diplomacy,” he said, while cautioning that force remains an option if needed. “We hope we won't have to go back to military action, but if the Iranian regime gives us no choice, we will do that.”
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed similar sentiments.
Iran warns ceasefire at risk amid Lebanon strikes
The developments come against a fragile backdrop. Iran has accused Israel of jeopardising the ceasefire, warning that continued strikes on Lebanon could derail the agreement and reignite tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite this, both US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu have maintained that Lebanon is not covered under the ceasefire.
Israel carried out some of its heaviest strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, reportedly killing hundreds and prompting threats of retaliation from Tehran.
Vance, however, suggested the tensions were not unexpected. “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't,” he said, adding elsewhere that “no ceasefire ever goes without a little bit of choppiness.”
A key fault line remains Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump has claimed that Iran agreed to halt uranium enrichment and even surrender existing stockpiles.
“The United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried ... Nuclear 'Dust,'” Trump said.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammed Bager Qalibaf, said Israel had already violated ceasefire conditions through its actions against Hezbollah, while accusing the US of breaching terms by demanding Iran abandon its nuclear ambitions.
“In such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations were unreasonable,” he said. Qalibaf countered that Iran would continue enriching uranium under the ceasefire terms.
(With Reuters, AP inputs)
