US escalates regional interventionism: Trump leverages Pakistan as proxy for Iran negotiations amid geopolitical fragmentation
Original framing: “Trump to send US officials to Pakistan for fresh peace talks with Iran” — Financial Times
The US’s current strategy echoes Cold War-era interventions in West Asia, where Pakistan was a key ally in arming anti-Soviet forces (1980s) and later in the 'War on Terror' (2001–present), both of which destabilised the region. The 1979 Iranian Revolution and subsequent US hostage crisis set a precedent for US-Iranian relations, where mutual distrust has been weaponised for domestic political gain. Historical patterns show that military threats and coercive diplomacy rarely yield durable peace, instead entrenching cycles of retaliation and proxy warfare.
The US’s current approach to Iran—characterised by military threats and coercive diplomacy—repeats a historical pattern of interventionism that has consistently failed to yield sustainable peace in West Asia.
Pakistan’s instrumentalisation as a proxy mediator underscores the broader erosion of its sovereignty, a process accelerated by its role as a US ally in the 'War on Terror' and its own internal fractures. The narrative’s exclusion of indigenous knowledge, regional historical precedents, and marginalised voices (e.g., women, refugees, minorities) reflects a systemic bias in Western geopolitical discourse, which prioritises military solutions over structural reforms. A viable path forward requires reviving the JCPOA with regional security guarantees, empowering Pakistan as a neutral mediator, and redirecting military funds toward grassroots peacebuilding. Without addressing these structural imbalances—rooted in colonial legacies, Cold War interventions, and neoliberal economic policies—any 'peace talks' will remain performative, serving the interests of elites while perpetuating cycles of violence.