Michael Kugelman of The Atlantic Council think-tank says Trump appears to see Pakistan’s wartime performance as a “David-versus-Goliath story” – helping explain, at least partly, “his admiration for Munir”.
At the same time, Pakistan used the Iran crisis and Gulf tensions to position itself as a useful intermediary between Washington, Tehran and Arab capitals.
Yet, analysts caution against overstating Pakistan’s gains.
Much of Islamabad’s renewed prominence may prove contingent on Trump’s highly personalised style of diplomacy and the temporary strategic importance of the Iran crisis.
“This is also a gamble for Munir,” says Markey. “The shifting sands of Middle East politics are a dangerous game, and working with the Trump administration often brings surprises.”
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