Even as Pakistan claims mediation between Iran and United States, top intelligence sources have suggested Tehran is upset with Islamabad. Pakistan’s latest move around the strategically sensitive Strait
of Hormuz has triggered sharp reactions in Iran, with top sources indicating that Tehran now sees Islamabad’s actions as part of a calculated “double game” at a critical juncture in the conflict.
Iran is questioning Pakistan’s real loyalties after developments linked to the passage of oil vessels through Hormuz. Despite tightening maritime control during the ongoing tensions, Iran had allowed limited access to ships from friendly countries, including Pakistan. Around 10 Pakistani-flagged vessels carrying oil were permitted transit.
However, intelligence sources now suggest that these Pakistani vessels that were allowed to pass were used or coordinated in ways that ended up benefiting the US side. In a parallel development, US President Donald Trump had claimed that 10 US ships were allowed to pass Hormuz as a “gesture” signalling Tehran’s willingness to keep diplomatic channels open.
In Tehran’s view, this crosses a red line, turning what was extended as goodwill into an act perceived as indirectly aiding a hostile power. The development is being seen as an anti-Iran move by a fellow Muslim country, intensifying the sense of betrayal within sections of the Iranian establishment.
At the same time, Pakistan has been actively projecting itself as a mediator. Islamabad conveyed a reported 15-point US ceasefire framework to Iran, positioning itself as a bridge between Washington and Tehran. But Iran has publicly rejected or downplayed these efforts, denying any meaningful negotiations and viewing Pakistan’s shuttle diplomacy as aligned with US interests rather than neutral engagement.
Top intelligence sources describe Pakistan’s Hormuz conduct as “deliberate duplicity”, an attempt to aid US objectives while continuing to retain strategic access to Iran. According to this assessment, Islamabad’s mediation pitch is not neutrality but strategic cover, aimed at extracting benefits from both sides without fully committing to either, sources suggest.
This perception is reinforced by Pakistan’s deepening alignment with Saudi Arabia, Iran’s principal regional rival. Defence cooperation and broader strategic signalling from Islamabad, including its positioning at platforms linked to the United Nations, are being read in Tehran as clear indicators of a Gulf-US tilt.
The cumulative assessment within Iranian circles is stark: Pakistan is executing a structured balancing act, but one that increasingly favours Washington and its Gulf allies.
