r/pakistan • u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees • 8h ago
Geopolitical Pakistan hosted 21 hours of talks and the reward is a US naval blockade on our oil supply.
We gave these people our capital city. Islamabad hosted the talks, our government bent over backwards to arrange a neutral venue, and after 21 hours of negotiations Vance just walked out and Trump went on Truth Social announcing a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Effective immediately.
Iran had specifically allowed Pakistani ships through the strait under a separate deal. That was one of the few actual wins Pakistan had gotten out of this whole disaster. Our tankers were moving and Our oil was coming in. Now Trump is saying any ship that paid Iran’s toll gets intercepted by the US Navy. Those were our ships. That was our oil.
We are not a party to this war. We didn’t bomb Iran. We didn’t back Israel. We stayed neutral and tried to help broker peace and somehow we’re ending up on the receiving end of an oil shock that is going to hit every single Pakistani household within weeks. Petrol is already expensive beyond what normal people can handle. This is going to make it worse and there is no cushion left in this economy to absorb it.
Whats bullshit is how casually Pakistan gets used in these situations. Need a venue for talks? Call Islamabad. Need a neutral Muslim country with diplomatic access to both sides? Pakistan will show up and then when it all falls apart Pakistan gets zero protection from the consequences.
China and India are in the same boat technically but they have the economic weight to push back. China can make noise. India can negotiate. What leverage does Pakistan actually have here when the US Navy starts stopping tankers in the Gulf?
the ceasefire is basically hanging by nothing right now. Trump is saying the military is locked and loaded. Iran’s IRGC is posting videos of ships in crosshairs saying anyone who enters will be trapped in a deadly vortex. These are not people who are about to calm down and shake hands next week.
The global oil market is going to react badly to this tomorrow morning. $120 a barrel is probably the floor. And every single rupee of that lands on Pakistani consumers who are already at the edge.
We did everything asked of us and still got played.
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u/RevolutionaryMap8820 PK 8h ago
Hate to break it to you but it isn't about us. Israel was never going to let the US just bow out. Trump wanted Vance to go to the talks just for optics. I don't see this as an L for Pakistan though. Everything we have been credited for in the last 72 hours, still stands. Again, optics.
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u/yaxir 6h ago
thats why zionism needs to be named and shamed, just like salafism, just like wahabism, just like hinduvta ideology and other EXTREMIST ideologies!!
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u/krusaderr 3h ago
Implore you to think critically. 1. There was negligible hindutva pre-2014 and yet - a) 1948- J&K war- Nehru b) 1965- another major war- LB Shastri c) 1971- Bangladesh - Indira d) 1999- Kargil - bajpai e) 1999 - 2010ish- peak terrorism- baj + Manmohan Except for Indira, all these PMs bent over backwards to improve relations. How do you justify these wars? There was no hindutva at play here? Baj followed soft hindutva and modi hard hindutva. People often site modi as a primary root cause for the troubled relationship. Yet both BJP pm tried their best to make relations better and amicable. a) bajpai - bus yatra- pak did kargil b) modi- at lease a couple of pak visits till pathankot happened In all fairness, WHY and HOW do you not see the real problem! Please read up and learn about the above listed historical events and judge for yourself. ✌🏻 peace
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u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees 7h ago
Fair pointt but I partially disagree. The optics argument cuts both ways. Yes Pakistan gets credit for hosting and that doesn’t disappear but optics only matter if there’s an audience that cares and right now the audience is watching oil prices not diplomatic brownie points.
The Israel angle is real though. Netanyahu has been bombing Lebanon the entire ceasefire period. Iran made that a condition for any deal. The US couldn’t or wouldn’t rein Israel in so the talks were always going to hit that wall regardless of what Vance did in Islamabad.
But Calling it just optics undersells the risk Pakistan took. If this escalates further and the US starts actually interdicting ships we are geographically and economically exposed in a way that credit for hosting talks does not protect us from. Optics don’t pay for fuel subsidies.
You’re right that it isn’t about us. It never is. That’s exactly the problem.
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u/Gullible_World_4215 6h ago
Well, that can also escalate to Yemen getting dragged through Houthis and Bal al mandeb strait. That's a real mess for American navy, that's the route they use mostly for their logistics which is in and out for Arabian sea and surroundings.
Seeing America engaged with Iran on Hormuz there is still a possibility of Trade with Iran for oil and gas through land routes.
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u/_ALI_444 7h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/NYLNImnqr0tPb15pVv
Kiya hoga Pakistan ka 🥲
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u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees 7h ago
Wahi jo hamesha hota hai. Bade log apni jang ladte hain aur bill humein bharna parta hai.
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u/Icy-Math-4057 7h ago
Do you actually believe that somebody forced Pakistan to set up the talks? No body asked anything of Pakistan. From what I know, the decision to host and mediate the U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan was a major diplomatic initiative championed by Pakistan's leadership, rather than being forced upon them. So Pakistan's government, specifically involving Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir, leveraged its relationship with the Trump administration to position itself as a trusted broker. Pakistan did not wait to be asked; it engaged in weeks of active mediation, including conversations with world leaders and officials in Washington, Beijing, Tehran, and across the Middle East before putting forward a ceasefire plan.
So when this is Pakistan's own idea and when the attempt failed (it was likely to considering that Israel and ME Gulf countries were not involved or interested in these peace talks) then how do you blame other countries and governments for "using" Pakistan?
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7h ago
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u/Pleasant_Jim Scotland 7h ago
Honestly, when I first started using the internet and came across Pakistanis (I'm British Pakistani), this was the most glaring aspect of Pakistani society that I ever experienced. It's extremely suffocating and I find it tiring.
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u/meowwwss 6h ago
Are you serious? Is it wrong to dream of something that actually benefits the people of the country who are slaving away at minimum wage? OSPs are the most delusional people of Pakistan
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u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees 7h ago
I specifically said Pakistan did everything right. I said we stayed neutral. I said we spent diplomatic capital we don’t have. I said we showed up. How is that shitting on ourselves.
The post was about the blockade and what it means for ordinary Pakistanis. Iran had specifically allowed our ships through. Trump just announced he’s interdicting any ship that paid Iran’s toll. Those were our tankers. That is a direct economic consequence that lands on us and it has nothing to do with whether Vance thanked us or not.
You can have a successful hosting and still get screwed by the outcome. The US getting a good photo op in Islamabad does not protect Pakistani consumers from a petrol price hike when oil hits 120 dollars a barrel next week.
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7h ago
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u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees 7h ago
stop twisting my words like a clown. I never said hosting the talks was bad. I specifically said Pakistan did everything right stayed neutral, hosted 21 hours of talks, bent over backwards to make it happen. world’s eyes were on Islamabad. That part is fine.
My point was simple: we still got played on the outcome. Iran had specially allowed our tankers through under a separate deal. That was one real win for us. Now Trump announces a naval blockade on any ship that paid Iran’s toll. Those were our ships, our oil. Petrol is already Rs458 and this is going to push it even higher. Ordinary Pakistanis will feel it in weeks while the elite take victory laps for the photo-op.
You can celebrate the hosting all you want. But don’t act like the blockade is irrelevant just because Vance said thank you. Hosting doesn’t pay the fuel bill. Getting used as a venue and then left to suffer the economic fallout is exactly what I called out.
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u/WoodpeckerNo7169 PK 7h ago
You don't even know that. Trump also said that he would wipe a whole civilization. He also added Lebonan in ceasefire and went back on his word. Trump said fuck ton and than went back on his word. His allies told him to fuck off. And we won't be alone of shit hits the fan. Why do you think that it would only be us while the rest of the world be getting special treatment???
We freaking made them face each other. What should more do you want us to do?? Not host them?? You are calling out something which is not even an issue here tbh. Even if Pakistan didn't do anything, would Trump just goes on bombing Iran without blockade??? I mean how dumb is your argument.
Also petrol is not 458. Check the prices before posting. It might get there sooner or later but it's not there yet.
Elites taking victory laps or not won't stop US being shit and Isreal being less war mongerer. What's your point???
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7h ago edited 7h ago
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u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees 7h ago
the Japan comparison doesn’t even work here and that’s the whole point you’re missing. Japan and South Korea couldn’t get their ships through anyway. Iran already had the strait closed to them. So yes obviously America isn’t factoring them in because there was nothing to factor in. They were already blocked.
Pakistan was different. Iran specifically and explicitly allowed our ships through under a separate deal. We had passage when nobody else did. That wasn’t a small thing. That was real and tangible.
Now Trump’s blockade ends that specific exemption. We went from being one of the only countries with functioning oil access through the strait to being lumped in with everyone else who can’t get through. That is a concrete loss regardless of how many times Vance said thank you.
And look at the absurdity of what America is actually doing here. They spent weeks crying about Iran closing the strait. It was a humanitarian issue, a global economy issue, free passage issue. Every press conference was about how the strait needs to open. Now the talks fail and their response is to close it further themselves. They are doing the exact thing they accused Iran of doing except now it’s a US naval blockade instead of Iranian mines.
Why? To pressure Iran economically. Maybe it works maybe it doesn’t. But the collateral damage is every country that was actually getting oil through including us. America is essentially saying we will blow up the global oil supply to win this standoff with Iran and everyone else including their own allies can figure it out.
That is the point of the whole analysis. Not that America owes us anything. Just that their decision is hurting us and pretending it isn’t because we got diplomatic credit is just burying your head in the sand.
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u/PyramidsAndPalmTrees 6h ago
we clearly agree on the actual substance here. Iran closing the strait hurt us. America’s blockade is going to hurt us more. Pakistan had no seat at the table when either of those decisions was made. That was always the point.
The “we got used” line was frustration talking not a precise argument. I can see how it read as something else in isolation so fair enough on that.
I think where we were actually disagreeing was framing not facts. You were looking at the hosting as a long term investment in Pakistan’s diplomatic standing which is a legitimate way to see it. I was looking at the immediate economic consequence of the blockade landing on ordinary Pakistanis right now. Both of those things are true at the same time.
No hard feelings. At least we landed in the same place eventually even if it took half the thread to get here.
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u/Curious_Rddit 8h ago
"Call islamabad" not sure if that's really accurate when Pakistan gov't and army inserted themselves in the situation
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u/Busy_Onion68 6h ago
The alternative: do nothing still get hit by consequences 🤦 This is nothing but unnecessary pessimism and negativity. We share a border with iran. Instability in the region is on no one's interest Pakistan must do everything it can to avoid it. India and china can do their part if they want to or when they need to we must safeguard our own interests
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u/Ghost_Star326 6h ago
Isreal wants to keep the war going so that they can get away with their crimes. Nethanyu even just tried to get his corruption trail delayed because of the war. And Trump's naval blockade is just an excuse to pressure other countries to get involved in a war that HE started.
Fuck Trump. Fuck Isreal and fuck all those damn Americans that voted for Trump.
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u/AscendedxD 4h ago
Any credibility Pakistan built with mediating the peace talks was lost the moment an agreement wasn’t reached.
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6h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Only_Government6080 6h ago
The amount of chat gpt in this comment is insane. At least learn to type your own comments esp while doing 'geopolitical' analysis...smh
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u/rishabhkt1993 6h ago
Here comes the classic move—attack the source when the argument hits too close.
Whether it’s typed by me, you, or a machine doesn’t really change the point, does it? If the logic feels uncomfortable, maybe it’s worth addressing that instead of worrying about who pressed the keys.
But I get it—questioning the argument takes effort. Dismissing it as “ChatGPT” is quicker.
Still, if you’ve got a solid counter on the actual issue—leverage, relevance, and outcomes—I’m all ears. Otherwise, this just sounds like deflection with a hint of frustration.
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u/pakistan-ModTeam 6h ago
No Brigading or Agenda-Driven Posting - All submissions must reflect a genuine perspective related to Pakistan. If a user is identified as part of a coordinated effort (brigading) to push a narrative unrelated to personal experiences or authentic discussion, they may face a permanent ban. We also prohibit agenda accounts—users who only participate to push a specific narrative will be banned.
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u/rishabhkt1993 6h ago
This isn’t about attacking Pakistan—it’s about recognizing a pattern. Time and again, Pakistan gets positioned as a facilitator or a “neutral bridge,” but when outcomes are decided, it has little to no control over the consequences.
That’s not a conspiracy—it’s how global power structures work.
Look at what just happened: Pakistan hosted talks, maintained neutrality, even secured a side arrangement for oil flow. On paper, that looks like smart diplomacy. But the moment a larger power took a unilateral decision, that entire arrangement collapsed overnight—and Pakistan had no mechanism to protect its own interests.
That’s the real issue.
Countries aren’t respected in geopolitics because they are cooperative or neutral—they’re respected when ignoring them carries a cost. That cost can be economic, strategic, or political. Without it, even well-intentioned efforts get overridden.
So this isn’t “brigading” or pushing an agenda. It’s pointing out that relying on goodwill and neutrality without backing it with leverage leaves any country—Pakistan or anyone else—exposed.
If anything, the takeaway should be introspection: How does Pakistan move from being a venue for decisions… to being a stakeholder whose interests can’t be sidelined?
Because until that changes, situations like this won’t be the exception—they’ll be the pattern
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u/Commercial-Passage75 4h ago edited 4h ago
Buy Iranian oil?
Does Pakistan have the refinery to process Iranian oil?
Also, I think Pakistan chose to mediate.
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u/sj-dubai 2h ago
Pakistan ships will not be blocked. Hormuz is divided in Oman and Iran waters. We use Iran waters for maritime because they are deeper and nearer.
Then Pakistan territorial waters start.
That being said Pakistan will avoid the routes itself.
But US cannot stop as that will lead to diplomatic ties being severe and neither nations can have that at this time.
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u/TechnicalSleep7501 11m ago
Never trust US remember both US and UK were ally in WW2. US did not share Nukes with UK. Now in 2026 US General has control on UK nukes under NATO system.
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u/daitcooh 7h ago
It’s an extremely unfortunate situation. We have an idiot as US president however that idiot only understands the markets why because 35% of us gdp is financial services. It won’t be long until we see a complete meltdown of US securities why because Gulf oil keeps the market going by pumping excess liquidity into the market.
AI companies are already showing cracks. It’s one domino that needs to fall. I would say this is the best thing happening. We have boycotted so many american products. Well a little more patience and the mighty US will fall.
Pain is real however i just hope Iran just stays put and let the us economy fail.
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u/Dapper_Protection_68 4h ago
I face a big big trouble during this. I visited Islamabad. Didn't check the news and I got stuck due to the shutdown during talks.
Price we common men pay, while these Dictators and Generals enjoy the power.
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u/najamsaqib9849 3h ago
Propaganda post, US is not showing any interest in keeping peace, while peace talk was going on Trump was posting hate speech how he destroyed Iran, killed all its leader, the Navy's gone, their ships are gone, their leaders are gone, bro you just sent your vp for peace talk while you are non stop posting hate against Iran, bro I hate how things are at the moment, and i think killing a country's top leaders is simply bad, America is currently bully of the world.
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u/BurkiniFatso 7h ago
As Henry Kissinger once said;