FDD’s Jonathan Schanzer has questioned the credibility of Pakistan brokering a US-Iran ceasefire, calling it ‘unusual’. He noted the deal’s terms are unclear, with the US and Iran presenting significantly different versions of the agreement.
Expert Questions Pakistan’s Role in Ceasefire
Executive Director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) and former US Treasury counterterrorism analyst, Jonathan Schanzer has called into question the credibility of Pakistan being part of the ceasefire deal between the United States US and Iran, callig it “unusual” that a “state sponser of terrorism” (Pakistan) was brokering a deal between the US and another “rogue proliferator” (Iran). He further said that the terms of the US-announced ceasefire are still ‘unclear’, as Iran’s narrative is much different from the US.
“I think first we need to understand here that this was a deal that was brokered by Pakistan. This is a very unusual thing that is happening here. A country that is a traditional state sponsor of terrorism and a rogue proliferator has now intervened to stop a war between the United States and a state sponsor of terrorism and a rogue proliferator,” he said on Tuesday.
Conflicting Narratives and Unclear Terms
Schanzer further said that Pakistan’s aim behind this move by Pakistan was entirely unclear. “The reasons for Pakistan doing this are entirely unclear to me. I think the terms of this are still somewhat unclear because what the United States is saying differs significantly from what the Iranians are saying. The Iranians are casting this as a full capitulation on the part of the United States. They are saying that the US has agreed to end the sanctions, to leave the region, and to pay reparations. This all seems unrealistic,” he said.
Schanzer then said that the US was saying that they would stop firing if Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz. But the question looms- Would Iran allow the free passage of goods through the strait. “On the US side, they are saying we will stop firing for two weeks if you open the Strait of Hormuz… Does the Islamic Republic allow for the free flow of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz?… We have, potentially, a two-week ceasefire, and during that time, a more permanent solution will need to be derived. But I think during that time period, especially in these early hours and early days, there is still a lot that can go wrong,” he said.
Trump Confirms Pakistan-Brokered Deal
The comments come as US President Donald Trump has suspended the “bombing and attack” campaign on Iran, announcing a two-week double-sided ceasefire and saying that the 10-point proposal from Iran was workable. In a post on Truth Social, Trump, said that ten-point proposal will serve as ground to negotiate for a permanent deal, while reiterating that US has achieved most of its military objectives.
“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!” Trump said.
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