Amid US-Pakistan thaw, two key challenges: Iran and China

Islamabad, Pakistan – The Chief of the Pakistan army, the Marshal Munir, has held an unprecedented individual meeting with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in the White House, where the two leaders spoke for more than two hours, according to the Pakistani army.

In a statement issued Thursday by public relations between services (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani army, the meeting, originally scheduled for an hour, was a hero in the cabinet room on lunch and then continued in the Oval office.

After Wednesday’s meeting, said the ISPR, Munir expressed “deep appreciation” for Trump’s efforts to facilitate fire between India and Pakistan after a four -day conflict in May between the two nuclear neighbors. According to the ISPR, Trump welcomed Pakistan’s cooperation against “terrorism.”

Although the White House did not issue any statement at the meeting, which was held behind closed doors and without opportunities for the media, Trump spoke with the journalists’ letter after his conversations with Munir. He thanked the Army Chief and said he was “honest to meet him.”

However, in the middle of the Bonhomie and the promise of a strong increase in relations after years of tension between Washington and Islamabad, Trump also referred to the current military conflict between Israel and Iran, which the president of the United States has a country could.

The Pakistani, Trump, said: “They know Iran very well, better than most,” and added that “they are not happy.”

For Pakistan, analysts said, that comment stressed how the restart in ties with the United States that Islamabad desperately will be tested by two key challenges. Iran and the current crisis with Israel will force Pakistan to an act of diplomatic balance, they said. And Islamabad’s close relationship with China could lead Pakistan similarly in contradictory directions.

What did Trump and Munir talk about?

According to the ISPR, Munir spoke with Trump about a variety of areas where the cooperation of the two nations, including “economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrencies and emerging technologies.”

But the Pakistani army admitted that the two leaders also heroes “detailed discussions” about the growing tensions between Iran and Israel with Munir and Trump, according to Islamabad, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution.

Munir was accompanied by the National Security Advisor of Pakistan, Lieutenant General As As As As As As As As Malik, who also directs the main intelligence agency in the country, the intelligence between services (ISI).

On the American side, Trump joined the Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the main negotiator of the president in the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.

Marvin Weinbaum, the main member of the Middle East Institute (May), said that the lack of a duration of the presence in lunch media could be interpreted as a suggestion that “the nature of the conversation was such that the Neior party wanted photos of photos.”

Weinbaum told Al Jazeera that Neith Side probably wanted to reveal a lot about “what was discussed, although my reading is that perhaps it was the United States that I wanted to know about Pakistan’s role on what is still in the duration of Iran this situation in progress.”

Later, on Wednesday night, Munir attended a dinner organized by the Pakistani embassy with almost three boxes of Think Tanks figures, policy institutes and diplomatic circles. Al Jazeera spoke with several participants, who requested anonymity to discuss what Munir said at dinner.

A participant said Munir did not disclose details of his meeting with Trump, but commented that the conversation was “fantastic and could not have gone better.”

Munir added, according to this person, that Pakistan’s relations with the previous administration of President Joe Biden had been “among the worst” historical.

Another assistant told Al Jazeera that Munir said that the United States “knows what I should do with respect to Iran” and reiterated that Pakistan’s opinion is that “each conflict is resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.”

‘Significant representative’

At the moment, experts said, the meeting represents a great gain for Pakistan in their attempt to improve ties with the United States.

Pakistan has been an ally close to the United States winning independence in 1947. They worked closely together in Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion in 1979 and then the American invasion of Afghanistan after the attacks of September 11.

Although the United States has provided more than $ 30 billion in help in the last two decades to Pakistan, has repeatedly accused Islamabad or “duplicity” and not being a reliable security partner.

Pakistan, in turn, has argued that Washington constantly demands that “make more” without completely recognizing the losses and instability that Pakistan has suffered due to regional violence.

Elizabeth Threlkeld, director of the South Asia program at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC, said Munir’s visit marks a “significant rebound” in the United States ties of Pakistan under the Trump administration.

“Given the central role of President Trump in the configuration of foreign policy and his preference for personal relationships, this visit has allowed the Munir Marshal solidify the recent crisis built,” Al Jazeera told Al Jazeera.

Sahar Khan, an expert in Washington -based security policy, DC, said that while the meeting was significant, it does not mean that the two countries are “now friends.” However, it indicates a “thaw in the relationship.”

He added that although Trump is unpredictable, Pakistan should consider reaching an agreement with him to avoid non -reistas demands regarding regional problems.

“For now, Munir’s message to the Trump administration is, take the time to understand Pakistan and stop seeing him through the lens of India, China or Afghanistan,” he said.

However, making that message stay easy, analysts said.

China, the true strategic dilemma

China remains the most critical partner of Pakistan, with whom he enjoys deep economic, strategic and military ties. But simultaneously, in the last three decades, Beijing’s rise as a global superpower has made him Washington’s main rival.

Muhammad Faisal, a security researcher in southern Asia at the Technological University of Sydney, said that the management of bonds with powers will prove Islamabad’s commitment to a “policy without camp” policy.

China has invested $ 62 billion in the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC), a large infrastructure project that connects Western China with the Arabian sea through Pakistan.

In the Military Front, Pakistan acquires more than 80 percent of his Chinese weapons, and some of those products, partly Jets and Chinese missiles, showed their value in the recent conflict with India.

“In the long run, both [China and the US] They are crucial for Pakistan in their own right, ”Faisal told Al Jazeera. And although the United States and China could each of which, each one wants Islamabad on their side, the fact that Pakistan is wanted.

“It gives Islamabad a considerable diplomatic space to expand cooperation with Beijing and Washington,” he said.

Iran’s challenge

Iran, currently under an intense Israeli assault that has attacked the key infrastructure and the upper military and nuclear figures, presents another sensitive challenge for Pakistan.

Analysts argued that Pakistan’s proximity and ties with Tehran position it as a possible mediator between the United States and Iran.

“It is interesting of Pakistan to play a mediating role. Another adversary can not afford on his western border, given his internal challenges,” Khan said.

Last month, Munir traveled to Iran along with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Duration is visiting, hey, with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, head of the Iranian army general personnel. In the first wave of Israel strikes on Friday, Bagheri was one of several military officers who were killed.

Since Israeli attacks were raised, Pakistan has strongly defended the right of Iran’s self -defense, describing Israeli strikes as violations of Iran’s territorial sovereignty and calls them “shameless provocations.”

Home of almost 250 million people, Pakistan has an important Shiite minority, between 15 percent and 20 percent of the population, which seek religious leadership to Iran.

Faisal said that the demographic and geographical realities of the thesis would build Pakistan’s public support for any US military intervention.

“Islamabad can continually ask for diplomacy and cessation of hostilities to contain the conflict. As a neighbor, instability in Iran is not of interest to Pakistan,” he said.

At the same time, Faisal added: “An increase in sectarian tensions [in Pakistan] You can try internal security. Therefore, Islamabad will distrust the Public Public Position. ”