As anticipated by Delhi, US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had a “detailed exchange of views” on the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict when they met over lunch at the White House. In a statement Thursday, the Pakistan Army said, “A detailed exchange of views also took place on the prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel, with both leaders emphasising the importance of resolution of the conflict.” Asked if Iran was discussed with Munir, Trump said: “Well, they know Iran very well, better than most, and they are not happy about anything.” “It’s not that they are bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they probably, maybe they know Iran better, but they see what’s going on, and he agreed with me,” he said. In Islamabad, the Pakistan Army said the US President showed “keen interest” in developing a mutually beneficial trade relationship with Pakistan on the basis of long-term strategic interests. According to Delhi’s assessment, the US is enlisting Rawalpindi’s support since it would want to use Pakistan’s airspace, air bases and other infrastructure for launching any military offensive on Iran. This was the key focus of Trump’s lunch with Munir which, according to sources, lasted for about two hours, and not one hour as scheduled. According to news agency Reuters, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Trump was hosting Munir after he called for the US President to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. But sources indicated that the meeting was not arranged through routine diplomatic channels, and was the outcome of “unorthodox efforts” by a group of advisers, businessmen and other influential figures. Sources said stronger counter-terrorism cooperation, engagement with crypto-linked influence networks, and targeted lobbying via Republican-aligned firms in Washington helped Pakistan secure the meeting. A source, who has been tracking the US-Pakistan relationship over decades, said, “It is not rare but absolutely unprecedented for a military chief to be invited by a POTUS (President of the United States) for a meeting, let alone a meeting over a meal. All Pakistan military chiefs who visited the US and other capitals did so as Presidents.” In the past, US President George W Bush met Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in 2004. Munir’s US visit began last Sunday and was his second since he took over as military chief in 2022. Trump was effusive about both Munir and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said he was “honoured” to meet Munir and that they discussed the situation arising out of the Iran-Israel conflict. “The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war (with India). And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi,” he said. “We are working on a trade deal with India. We are working on a trade deal with Pakistan.” Trump also recalled his meeting with Modi at the White House in February. He said he was “happy” that “two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war”. “That could have been a nuclear war. Those are two nuclear powers, big ones, big, big nuclear powers, and they decided (to end the conflict),” he said. The US President was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Munir was joined by Pakistan National Security Advisor Lt Gen Asim Malik, who is also head of the spy agency ISI. Earlier, in his phone conversation with Trump, Modi had told the President that India and Pakistan halted their military actions following direct talks between the two militaries without any mediation by the US. The Pakistan Army, in its statement on the Trump-Munir meeting, said, the “Chief of Army Staff conveyed the deep appreciation of the government and people of Pakistan for President Trump’s constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis. The COAS acknowledged President Trump’s statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.” “President Trump, in turn, lauded Pakistan’s ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability, and appreciated the robust counter-terrorism cooperation between the two states. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the field of counter-terrorism,” it said. “Discussions also encompassed avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in multiple domains including trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies. President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests,” it said. “In a gesture reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir extended an invitation to President Trump, on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a mutually convenient date”
