US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in the ongoing Iran–US peace talks, saying a genuine friendship is developing between the United States and Pakistan. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Hegseth commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiation table. He described the current progress between the two countries as unexpected and sincere.

Pakistan has been acting as a formal mediator between Washington and Tehran since the Iran–US ceasefire on April 8. Hegseth’s remarks followed questions about Pakistan’s missile capabilities and India’s Agni-6 program. He emphasized that the US does not view either India or Pakistan as threats, noting that both nations are nuclear powers concerned with their own security. Hegseth also recalled that President Donald Trump mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May 2025, despite later denials from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hegseth reiterated that the US remains committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and is prepared for military action if diplomacy fails.