Pakistan has firmly rejected the idea of joining the Abraham Accords, despite direct pressure from US President Donald Trump. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif made it clear during an interview with Samaa TV that Islamabad would not support any agreement that contradicts the country’s fundamental ideologies.
He stressed that Pakistan’s position on the matter was unambiguous, stating, “We have a very clear stance that this is not acceptable to us.”
Asif questioned the credibility of engaging with Israel, remarking, “How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted even for a single day?”
He pointed to Pakistan’s long-standing refusal to recognise Israel, highlighting the fact that Pakistani passports do not even include Israel’s name, a symbolic but significant policy that underscores Islamabad’s rejection of normalisation.
The Defence Minister’s remarks came in response to Trump’s renewed push for Muslim and Arab nations to join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional settlement linked to ongoing negotiations with Iran. Trump, in a lengthy post on Truth Social, described the proposed expansion as a “Historic Event” for the Middle East. He urged countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to sign onto the accords simultaneously once a deal with Tehran is reached.
Trump warned that failure to secure an agreement with Iran could lead to a return to conflict “bigger and stronger than ever before.” He insisted that Saudi Arabia and Qatar should immediately join the accords after a deal is concluded with Iran, and suggested that even Iran itself could eventually become part of the framework if negotiations succeed.
He argued that the Abraham Accords had already delivered a “Financial, Economic, and Social BOOM” to existing members, which he listed as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and Kazakhstan.
The former agreements, signed in 2020, were landmark US-mediated deals that normalised diplomatic, economic and security ties between Israel and several Arab countries. Trump claimed that the accords had brought “true Power, Strength, and Peace” to the region and would be even more transformative if expanded.
He emphasised that numerous leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, had been consulted on the matter.
Despite Trump’s optimism, Pakistan’s rejection underscores the deep ideological and political barriers that remain. Islamabad’s refusal reflects both domestic sensitivities and its broader foreign policy stance, which continues to prioritise solidarity with the Palestinian cause and scepticism towards Israel. The divergence between Washington’s vision of a unified Middle East under the Abraham Accords and Pakistan’s entrenched position highlights the complexities of regional diplomacy at a time when negotiations with Iran remain fragile.
ANI
