Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on 27 May delivered a stinging rebuke of Pakistan, declaring that Islamabad's role in any Iran-related diplomacy was “more than problematic” — remarks that came after Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif publicly ruled out joining the Abraham Accords. The exchange marks a significant strain in a relationship that Graham himself has historically tried to nurture.

Graham's Allegations on X

In a post on X, Graham wrote: “It has been apparent to me for quite a while that Pakistan as a mediator is more than problematic. Their animosity towards Israel is long standing.” He went further, alleging that Iranian military aircraft were being housed on Pakistani air bases — a claim Pakistan has not publicly addressed.

“It is undeniable that Iranian military aircraft are being housed on Pakistani air bases and past rhetoric from the highest Pakistani officials against Israel is disturbing,” Graham said. The senator also cited what he described as a clip of Asif opposing normalisation with Israel, noting: “The clip may be a year old, but I fear the sentiment is fresh.”

Pakistan Rejects Abraham Accords

Speaking in an interview with Pakistani broadcaster Samaa TV, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif categorically rejected the possibility of Pakistan joining the Abraham Accords — the US-brokered framework that normalised relations between Israel and several Arab nations. “Personally, I don't think we should join any such accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies,” Asif said. Questioning engagement with Israel, he added: “How will you sit down with those people whose word cannot be trusted even for a single day?”

Graham's Earlier Broadside in Congress

The latest remarks build on a sharper outburst Graham delivered earlier this month during a Congressional hearing. “I don't trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them. If they actually do have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate. No wonder this damn thing is going nowhere,” he said. Notably, Graham is widely regarded as a close confidant of President Donald Trump — making his criticism carry particular weight in the current diplomatic climate.

The Broader Context

The controversy unfolds as President Donald Trump actively pushes for wider regional participation in the Abraham Accords as part of his administration's ongoing Iran-linked diplomacy. Reports circulating in US media and on social media have alleged that Iran parked military aircraft at Pakistani bases amid heightened tensions in the Middle East — allegations that have not been independently verified. Pakistan has offered no public response to Graham's latest charges. This is not the first time Islamabad's geopolitical alignments have drawn scrutiny from Washington; the pattern of US frustration with Pakistan over strategic double-dealing stretches back decades.

What Happens Next

Graham's demand is unambiguous: he called it “imperative that Pakistan give an answer now to President Trump's call to join the Abraham Accords.” Whether Islamabad responds — and how — could shape the contours of US-Pakistan ties at a moment when the Trump administration is recalibrating its Middle East strategy. The silence from Pakistan so far suggests Islamabad is in no hurry to engage on Washington's terms.