Pakistan walks a tightrope over Iran war

Pakistan walks a tightrope over Iran war Submitted by Kamal Alam on Fri, 03/13/2026 - 13:16 Amid defence pact with Saudi Arabia and growing ties with Trump, Islamabad has been struggling to quell domestic outrage A resident watches an address by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Islamabad on 9 March 2026 (Aamir Qureshi/AFP) On As the US - Israeli war against Iran intensifies, with violence spreading across the Gulf and Lebanon , Pakistan is coming under increasing domestic pressure to pick a side. Pakistan has long been a battleground for competing influence, especially with regards to Saudi Arabia and Iran. While Islamabad played a role in recent years in China ’s mediation between the two states, that neutrality now faces a major test.