US President Donald Trump on Monday called on several Muslim-majority countries to join the Abraham Accords as part of wider efforts to secure a broader regional peace arrangement involving Iran. However, while listing leaders he had spoken to, Trump referred to Pakistan’s Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir instead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in his social media post.
Trump names Asim Munir while discussing regional outreach
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye should normalise relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords framework introduced during his first term.
While referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by their official positions, Trump identified Pakistan’s representative as “Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah”.
The omission of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif drew attention because Munir is widely regarded as Pakistan’s most influential figure despite not holding elected office. Pakistan’s military has historically played a dominant role in shaping the country’s politics and foreign policy.
Trump and Munir ties draw attention
Trump has publicly praised Syed Asim Munir in the past. During remarks last year, he described the Pakistani army chief as a “very great guy” while discussing diplomatic engagements involving Islamabad.
Analysts say Munir has developed close access to Trump and his inner circle at a time when Pakistan is attempting to rebuild ties with Washington following years of strained relations after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Munir has also emerged as an important figure in regional diplomacy linked to Iran. Pakistan shares a long border with Iran and remains concerned that prolonged instability could trigger sectarian tensions, fuel shortages and further economic pressure domestically.
Pakistan faces pressure over Abraham Accords push
Trump’s proposal for Pakistan to join the Abraham Accords is expected to be politically sensitive. Islamabad has traditionally refused to recognise Israel until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Pakistan also maintains strong economic, political and military ties with Gulf countries that have increasingly moved closer to Israel under US-backed diplomatic efforts. Analysts say this has placed Islamabad in a difficult position since the accords were introduced in 2020.
While countries such as the UAE and Bahrain embraced normalisation with Israel, Pakistan stayed away amid concerns over domestic political backlash and its longstanding support for the Palestinian cause.
What are the Abraham Accords?
The Abraham Accords are a set of agreements brokered by the United States in 2020 to normalise relations between Israel and Arab nations. The first agreements were signed on September 15, 2020, between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain.
The framework later expanded to include Morocco and Sudan. Kazakhstan formally joined the grouping in 2025 despite already maintaining ties with Israel since the 1990s.
Named after the shared Abrahamic roots of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, the accords marked one of the most significant diplomatic breakthroughs in Arab-Israeli relations since Israel’s peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
Instead of linking recognition of Israel to a final settlement of the Palestinian issue, participating countries focused on trade, investment, defence cooperation and broader strategic coordination, particularly amid tensions involving Iran.
Pakistan reiterates position on Israel
Pakistan has repeatedly maintained that recognition of Israel can only happen after the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In 2025, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar rejected speculation about Islamabad joining the Abraham Accords.
He said Pakistan was not prepared to recognise Israel until a two-state solution to the Palestine issue was accepted and added that there had been no change in the country’s official policy on Palestine.
