'Desperate for American approval': Pakistan in tight spot for Trump Nobel nomination as US shifts from 'peacemaker' to aggressor
A day after announcing its decision to nominate US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, Pakistan's government found itself facing a wave of criticism — both at home and abroad — as American airstrikes hit Iran's nuclear sites on Sunday.
The strikes on key Iranian facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan triggered strong condemnation from Islamabad, with the foreign ministry calling the US action a breach of 'all norms of international law.'
The backlash over the government's earlier praise of Trump quickly escalated, turning the Nobel gesture into what many now see as a diplomatic misstep.
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'Diplomatic inconsistency at its worst'
The Pakistan foreign office, in its statement, said: 'Pakistan condemns the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities which follow the series of attacks by Israel. We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region.' It further asserted that 'Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter' and warned of the 'severely damaging implications' of any escalation.
Just hours earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had shared a message on X after meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on the sidelines of the 51st OIC Council of Foreign Ministers. 'I reaffirmed our unwavering
support for Iran
's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its right to self-defence under the UN Charter,' he wrote.
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The contrast between Pakistan's strong defence of Iran and its decision to nominate Trump drew pointed criticism. Former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi remarked, 'This is diplomatic inconsistency at its worst. You can't praise a man for peace one day and stay silent when he orders bombings the next.'
Backlash over Nobel move intensifies
Pakistan's justification for the nomination centred around Trump's role in 'halting' the India-Pakistan conflict in May, which officials credited to his meeting with Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and alleged backchannel communication with Delhi.
But political observers say the optics have badly backfired. Analyst Mosharraf Zaidi noted, 'There's growing public anger over inconsistency. It weakens Pakistan's moral position and suggests a transactional approach to diplomacy.'
Commentator Talat Hussain was blunter, calling the nomination 'pathetic' and reflective of a 'colonised mindset desperate for American approval.'
Behind the scenes, officials have argued that the outreach to Washington was a pragmatic attempt to protect Pakistan's economic and strategic interests.
But with Trump now facing global backlash for authorising strikes on a Muslim-majority nation, the move is being widely panned as a diplomatic miscalculation.
Social media platforms lit up with anger, with hashtags like #TrumpNominationShame and #NobelForWar trending across Pakistan. What was intended as a show of strategic alignment now risks becoming a symbol of foreign policy confusion at a sensitive time for the region.
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