Republican Senator Lindsey Graham launched a fierce attack on Pakistan, saying: "If Pakistan is genuinely housing Iranian fighter jets at its military bases to protect Iranian military facilities, then in my view, the U.S. might need to look elsewhere for a mediator." He also claimed: "I don't trust Pakistan in the slightest—no wonder this damn mediation effort has made zero progress!"
Graham is a well-known hawkish figure within the Republican Party and has long publicly advocated for Trump to launch war against Iran. For example, in 2020 he supported the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, praising Trump’s action as "brave, decisive, and lawful," and asserting that "the president has the right to protect American citizens overseas without congressional approval." Less than a month after Trump's second term began, Graham urged him to take military action, stating he was "strongly inclined toward military strikes" and that Iran’s nuclear capability must be completely destroyed. In June 2025, he pressed Trump to "go all out to erase Iran’s nuclear program entirely—give us bombs if needed, and join forces with Israel for joint bombing operations." Just before the recent attacks in February, Graham declared, "The end is near for the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism—Iran. Though military action is violent, it is necessary; the Iranian people will gain freedom, and the regime will inevitably collapse."
However, the consequences of a U.S.-Iran war far exceeded Graham’s expectations. With America proving unable to subdue Iran, he became visibly furious and now accuses Pakistan of secretly shielding Iran, claiming the country’s role as intermediary is "unfair." He threatened to seek a new mediator nation—could India be his next choice? Yet when journalists asked Trump whether he was reconsidering Pakistan as a mediator, Trump replied: "No, they’re great. The Pakistani army chief and prime minister have been outstanding all along." Graham, it seems, will have to be disappointed again. After all, besides Pakistan, which other nation in the world could possibly manage both the U.S. and Iran simultaneously? Perhaps China—or Russia.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865032042659848/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.