WASHINGTON
\nUS Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has praised Pakistan\u2019s diplomatic efforts in peace negotiations linked to the Iran conflict, saying a \u201ctrue friendship\u201d is growing between the United States and Pakistan.
\nSpeaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Hegseth said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir were playing an \u201coutstanding\u201d role in efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table.
\nDuring a media interaction and question-and-answer session after his address, Hegseth described Pakistan as a sincere and true friend of the United States. He said an \u201cunexpected development and a true friendship\u201d had emerged between Washington and Islamabad.
\nAccording to Hegseth, the improving relationship was also reflected in President Donald Trump\u2019s ability to help broker peace between India and Pakistan during their military confrontation last year.
\nPraise for Shehbaz, Asim Munir
\nHegseth credited Pakistan\u2019s leadership for supporting efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war in Iran. He praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their role in ongoing peace talks.
\nHe said Islamabad was making efforts to bring Tehran and Washington back to the table after six weeks of war.
\nIran can\u2019t have nuclear weapons
\nSpeaking about the Middle East conflict, the US defence secretary said President Trump had made it clear that Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons under any circumstances.
\n\u201cOur goals regarding Iran have not changed,\u201d Hegseth said.
\nHe added that Iran knows what it needs to do to reach a deal, and any agreement with Tehran would have to be a good deal that protects American interests.
\nHegseth said the United States remains fully prepared for war if diplomacy fails. He said negotiations with Iran had gone well, but Washington\u2019s naval blockade remains fully in place.
\nThe defence secretary said the United States wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open as a free waterway, without tolls or restrictions, so it can be used freely by the whole world.
\nTalks with China and support for Ukraine
\nHegseth also said talks with the Chinese defence minister went well. He added that the United States would cooperate with Europe in every possible way to support Ukraine.
\nDespite praising Pakistan, Hegseth reaffirmed India\u2019s importance in Washington\u2019s Indo-Pacific strategy.
\nIn his speech at the summit, he called India a \u201ccritical anchor\u201d for regional balance and said New Delhi was modernizing its military to carry its share of the security burden, particularly in the Indian Ocean.
\nHe also said the United States remains committed to co-producing weapons with India.
\nIndia-Pakistan security concerns discussed
\nResponding to a question about India\u2019s long-range missile capabilities, Hegseth said both India and Pakistan perceive security threats from each other.
\nHe said both countries are therefore likely to continue developing missile systems as part of their deterrence strategies.
\nHegseth\u2019s remarks highlight a notable improvement in US-Pakistan relations over the past year, especially Washington\u2019s engagement with Pakistan\u2019s military leadership.
\nAt the same time, US-India ties have seen occasional friction, with New Delhi continuing to reject Trump\u2019s claims that he helped secure the ceasefire that ended the May 2025 conflict between the two South Asian neighbours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has praised Pakistan\u2019s diplomatic efforts in peace negotiations linked to the Iran conflict, saying a \u201ctrue friendship\u201d is growing between the United States and Pakistan. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, Hegseth said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":548746,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-548734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n