Transcript [00:00] So we've been tracking Pakistan pretty [00:01] carefully on this channel since the very [00:03] first days of the war and I want to step [00:05] back today and ask some questions that I [00:07] think are not being asked at least not [00:09] all in the same place at the same time. [00:11] They're not all No one's connecting the [00:13] dots, but when you line up these stories [00:15] I'm going to show you one after the [00:16] other, a pretty clear picture emerges [00:18] and the picture is this. [00:20] It is that Pakistan has been the [00:23] lifeline actively saving the Iranian [00:27] regime from collapse. Pakistan They've [00:30] been facilitating the one strategy that [00:32] Tehran has been executing from day one, [00:35] delaying, buying time, surviving and [00:37] it's and it's been doing this I believe [00:39] in coordination with China. So what I'm [00:42] going to do in this video is I'm going [00:43] to ask five questions about Pakistan's [00:45] recent behavior. Five questions. Here we [00:47] go. Question number one. Why did [00:49] Pakistan open a land corridor to Iran [00:53] without telling the United States? [00:56] Why'd they do that? Take a look at this [00:58] news item. [01:00] Pakistan opens up road trade routes into [01:03] Iran amid Hormuz blockade. With shipping [01:06] disrupted by US-Iran tensions, Islamabad [01:09] activates overland corridor to move [01:11] stranded cargo into Iran. [01:15] And this is the port in Karachi with all [01:17] the all the cargo. [01:19] Pakistan has opened six overland transit [01:22] routes for goods destined for Iran [01:25] formalizing a road corridor through its [01:27] territory as thousands of containers [01:29] remain stranded at Karachi port because [01:32] of the United States blockade of Iranian [01:34] ports and ships trying to pass through [01:37] the Strait of Hormuz. [01:39] The Ministry of Commerce issued the [01:40] transit of goods through territory of [01:42] Pakistan order on April 25th, that's a [01:45] couple weeks into the blockade, bringing [01:47] it into immediate effect. The order [01:49] allows goods originating from third [01:50] countries to be transported through [01:52] Pakistan and delivered to Iran by road. [01:56] And this corresponded with Foreign [01:57] Minister Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas [01:59] Araqchi's visit to Pakistan to meet with [02:02] the Prime Minister and the Army Chief. [02:05] Check that out. [02:07] Look at that. [02:08] Now, [02:09] uh did President Trump know about it? [02:12] Because look at this story right here. [02:14] Well, actually, you know, before we get [02:15] to that, let's just sum up what we just [02:17] saw. Let's let's set the table. [02:19] What we just saw is that that while the [02:21] United States is in the Strait of Hormuz [02:23] blockading Iranian ports, trying to [02:25] strangle the Iranian regime as quickly [02:27] as possible to bring it to its knees so [02:29] that we can end this thing and and and [02:32] they capitulate to the United States [02:33] demands as quickly as possible. [02:36] Meanwhile, and the US is interdicting [02:39] ships, right? American soldiers have [02:40] died. [02:41] And Pakistan, simultaneously presenting [02:44] itself as America's trusted messenger to [02:46] Tehran, is opens six overland land [02:49] corridors to bring cargo into Iran to [02:53] bypass the blockade. Now, look at this [02:56] item here. This is from The National, [02:58] which is also an Arab an Arab news [03:00] outlet. Pakistan takes calculated risk [03:03] by opening overland routes for shipments [03:04] to Iran. It's the It's the It's the same [03:07] story, but that was Al Jazeera from [03:09] Qatar. They're not going to be as harsh [03:12] on the Iranians or the Pakistanis. This [03:14] is the United Arab Emirates media. [03:16] Islamabad's move provides a workaround [03:18] to Hormuz blockade and benefits key [03:20] allies and its own economy, but risks [03:23] angering the US. Look what it says down [03:25] here about it. [03:26] It is unclear, however, whether [03:28] Pakistan's army, which is leading [03:30] Islamabad's mediation efforts between [03:32] the US and Iran, may have discussed the [03:34] land bridge with Washington privately. [03:36] It's unclear if they've discussed it [03:37] with Washington. A spokesman for the [03:39] Pakistani military, contacted by The [03:41] National, said the military does not [03:43] comment on trade policy. On Friday, US [03:46] President Donald Trump was asked whether [03:47] he was aware of the land routes across [03:49] Pakistan. He said, "I know everything [03:51] about it, but did not divulge whether [03:53] Pakistan had consulted Washington." [03:57] Look at that. [04:00] Look at that. [04:02] Let's sum up Let's sum this up. Let's [04:04] Let's make sense of it, okay? [04:06] Here's what we saw. [04:11] He knows everything about it, but he [04:12] won't say whether they consulted him. [04:14] That's a non-answer. That's what we call [04:16] a non-answer. A non-answer from the [04:17] president of the United States about [04:19] whether an allied country told him it [04:21] was about to supply [04:24] it was about to open a supply corridor [04:26] to his enemy. [04:27] This should alarm every single person [04:29] watching us. So, watching this. So, my [04:31] first question about Pakistan is why are [04:33] they opening trade routes [04:35] to bypass the blockade [04:38] that and and basically mean that [04:42] it it it throws a lifeline to the to the [04:44] Iranian regime. It means the blockade's [04:45] not going to work as effectively or at [04:47] all. [04:49] Question two about Pakistan. [04:52] Who's checking what's in those [04:53] containers? [04:54] I want to ask and [04:56] you know, [04:57] I I I want to be very transparent here. [04:58] I want to ask something no one else in [04:59] the media is asking cuz I'm raising a [05:01] suspicion here, not a confirmed fact, [05:03] but it's a suspicion rooted in what we [05:05] know about the region and about Pakistan [05:07] and these relationships between Pakistan [05:09] and Iran. Those six land corridors [05:12] officially they're for commercial goods, [05:14] right? Food, medicine, consumer [05:16] products. [05:18] Third country cargo that got stuck at [05:20] Karachi when the black when the blockade [05:21] began. Groceries. [05:24] But who's verifying what's in those [05:25] containers? [05:27] Pakistan's army? Maybe them? Hmm. That's [05:30] the same army that's running the [05:32] mediation. The same army whose chief has [05:36] what Ynet, a major news outlet out of [05:39] Israel, describes as close personal ties [05:41] to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, the [05:43] IRGC. [05:45] The Pakistani army controls the customs [05:47] apparatus [05:48] and the army controls those corridors. [05:50] So I want to ask very plainly, is it [05:52] possible? Is it just possible that [05:54] weapons and military components are [05:56] moving through that corridor into Iran? [05:58] It's not like the Americans are policing [06:00] it. [06:02] I don't know. No one's reporting that [06:03] it's happening, but I also don't know [06:05] that anyone is seriously checking and [06:06] giving, you know, giving everything else [06:08] to that that Pakistan has done in this [06:09] war, which which brings me to question [06:11] three. I think the question needs to be [06:13] asked. [06:14] What's in those containers? [06:17] All right, question number three. [06:20] Why [06:21] was Pakistan sheltering Iranian military [06:25] aircraft during the war? Why were they [06:28] doing that? This is a new CBS report [06:31] which as you see here this is this is as [06:33] it it was quoted the CBS report here [06:35] quoted Ynet. [06:36] Pakistan quietly allowed Iranian [06:38] military aircraft to park on its [06:40] airfields during Iran's war with the [06:42] United States even as Islamabad publicly [06:45] positioned itself as a mediator between [06:47] the two sides US officials told CBS [06:49] News. [06:50] The move may have helped shield some of [06:51] Tehran's remaining military and aviation [06:54] assets from possible American airstrikes [06:56] according to US officials familiar with [06:58] the matter who spoke on condition of [07:00] anonymity because they were discussing [07:02] national security issues. Check that [07:04] out. [07:06] They also sent aircraft to Afghanistan. [07:09] Fine. [07:11] The US officials said that days after [07:13] President Donald Trump announced a [07:14] ceasefire with Iran in early April [07:16] Tehran sent multiple aircraft to [07:17] Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan. [07:21] Among the aircraft was an Iranian Air [07:23] Force RC-130 a reconnaissance and [07:26] intelligence gathering version of the [07:27] Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical [07:30] transport aircraft according to the [07:32] officials. They were not there to get [07:34] humanitarian aid. These are These are [07:37] military [07:38] uh these are this is military equipment. [07:41] Okay? [07:42] So what are we seeing here? [07:45] What are we seeing here? [07:47] Let this sink in. [07:48] While Pakistan's Prime Minister [07:52] >> [cough] [07:52] >> While Pakistan's Prime Minister is on [07:54] the phone with Trump, while Pakistan's [07:55] Foreign Minister is shuttling proposals [07:59] While Pakistan is collecting diplomatic [08:01] prestige, right? An international [08:03] mediator. [08:05] The trusted go-between. [08:07] Meanwhile, Iranian military aircraft are [08:09] sitting on Pakistani runways protected [08:11] from American strikes. [08:14] This is not mediation. This is not [08:16] neutrality. They're helping Iran. [08:18] Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the [08:20] planes arrived during the ceasefire for [08:22] diplomatic logistics. [08:26] Okay, but [08:28] this is diplomatic logistics you need [08:30] C-130s? [08:32] Senator Lindsey Graham said it plainly. [08:34] He said, "I don't trust Pakistan as far [08:35] as I can throw them. If they actually do [08:37] have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan [08:40] bases to protect Iranian military [08:41] assets, that tells me we should be [08:43] looking maybe for somebody else to [08:45] mediate." I agree with Lindsey Graham [08:47] here. That doesn't happen very often. I [08:49] often find myself disagreeing with him. [08:51] But on this one, he's absolutely right. [08:53] So, why [08:54] is Pakistan shielding Iranian military [08:58] aircraft? That's the question. Now, [09:00] before we move on, I want to tell you [09:02] about an important event we're having on [09:03] Wednesday, just a few days from now, [09:04] couple days from now. [09:06] Um and it that's Wednesday, May 20th, [09:09] 1:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. in Israel, anywhere [09:12] in between. It'll also be recorded and [09:14] posted to the Israel 365 News YouTube [09:16] channel, or you can sign up for the [09:18] webinar even if you can't make it, and [09:20] you will get the full webinar emailed to [09:23] you. So, this webinar is titled Will [09:24] America First Stand with Israel? [09:27] 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 20th. This [09:29] is live. It's I will be moderating the [09:31] webinar, opening remarks and moderation, [09:33] and our three esteemed guests will be [09:35] Josh Hammer [09:37] who is senior editor at large at new at [09:40] Newsweek. He's also the host of the Josh [09:42] Hammer Show on Salem Network and a an [09:44] important author and public [09:45] intellectual. So, Josh Hammer will be [09:47] speaking. Dr. David Wurmser who served [09:49] in multiple White Houses as a senior [09:51] advisor on Middle East and and [09:53] international affairs, served in the [09:55] National Security Council and he is [09:56] currently the senior analyst for the [09:58] Middle East Affairs at the Center for [10:01] Security Policy in Washington, D.C. One [10:02] of the great experts on the Middle East. [10:04] And Pastor Rob McCoy. Rob Pastor Rob [10:06] McCoy is the one of the is the [10:08] co-founder of of Turning Point USA [10:10] Faith. [10:11] He was Charlie Kirk's pastor, very very [10:13] close with Charlie. They used to travel [10:15] together a lot. And uh I can tell you [10:18] just from personal knowledge, he was [10:19] really Charlie's spiritual [10:21] spiritual guide, spiritual mentor, [10:24] Pastor Rob McCoy. [10:26] And intimately familiar with the America [10:28] First movement. So, we'll be talking [10:29] about this question, will America First [10:31] continue to stand with Israel? And you [10:32] can click on the link in the description [10:34] of this video [10:35] uh for a sign-up link. There's a sign-up [10:37] link there. It should say Israel 365 [10:40] America First or something like that. [10:42] Um and or [10:45] you can click this QR code here. Uh this [10:48] QR code will take you to a sign-up page. [10:50] So, go ahead and click that QR code. You [10:51] can pause the video right now and click [10:54] that QR code to sign up for the webinar. [10:57] There's no cost involved. Just sign up [10:59] for the webinar, free of charge, live [11:01] webinar, fantastic speakers, Josh [11:03] Hammer, Dr. David Wurmser, and Pastor [11:05] Rob McCoy. That's Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. [11:08] Eastern Time. [11:09] >> [snorts] [11:09] >> Uh so, yeah, there you have it. So, [11:13] um [11:14] let's get back to uh to the topic of [11:16] Pakistan. [11:17] My fourth question for uh for Pakistan [11:20] is why is China [11:23] publicly telling Pakistan to step it up? [11:27] Pakistan faces pressure over mediator [11:29] role in the Iran war. Hmm. Well, with [11:32] Pakistan stepping in the middle of a [11:33] major geopolitical conflict, Islamabad [11:35] is forced to balance between Washington, [11:38] Tehran, Beijing, and key Gulf allies. [11:41] A recent US media report places it under [11:43] even more scrutiny, and that's the US [11:44] media report about the Iranian airplanes [11:47] that they were shielding. [11:49] And if you we jump down here and it says [11:51] that, you know, they denied the report, [11:52] etc., etc. But look what it says down [11:54] here. [11:56] US Senator Lindsey Graham, an outspoken [11:58] supporter of the US war in Iran, [12:00] publicly criticized Pakistan following [12:01] the CBS report. His remarks reflect [12:04] broader concerns among some US [12:06] policymakers who fear Pakistan may be [12:08] appearing too accommodating towards [12:10] Tehran while seeking to preserve [12:12] strategic ties with Washington. Now, [12:14] here's the key. At the same time, US [12:16] rival China has openly encouraged [12:19] Pakistan to expand its diplomatic role. [12:23] According to the [12:24] AFP news agency, that's Agence [12:26] France-Presse, Chinese Foreign Minister [12:28] Wang Yi urged Islamabad to step up [12:31] mediation efforts between Iran and the [12:33] United States and help stabilize the [12:35] region, particularly around the Strait [12:38] of Hormuz. [12:40] But can they do it? But look at that. [12:43] Why is China asking them to step it up? [12:45] And what does stepping it up even mean? [12:46] We all know what's going on with these [12:47] negotiations. Iran refuses to budge [12:51] on their demands. [12:53] Think about what you just heard. China, [12:56] Iran's most powerful international [12:58] backer, China, [12:59] which supplies 80% of Pakistan's major [13:03] arms imports, [13:05] China, which has a strategic partnership [13:07] with Iran and has deepened military and [13:10] economic cooperation with both Pakistan [13:12] and Iran in recent years, [13:14] is now publicly telling Pakistan to do [13:16] more to keep Iran at the table, which [13:19] goes back to the point I was just making [13:21] about Iran not giving in to any of the [13:23] American demands. What exactly do they [13:25] want? What do you want to keep the [13:27] negotiations and the mediation going? [13:30] What do you want more of exactly? More [13:32] delaying? More extensions of the [13:34] ceasefire? [13:36] More ceasefire requests? More land [13:39] corridors to bring [13:41] sanctioned goods [13:43] over the Iranian border? More aircraft [13:45] on Pakistani runways? What exactly do [13:47] they want more of? [13:49] China's not a bystander in this [13:50] mediation. China is running Pakistan's [13:53] role in the war. And Pakistan is [13:55] executing it. This is not a conspiracy [13:57] theory. That's what the public record [13:59] shows when you line it up, when you read [14:01] the stories. [14:04] And finally, my fifth question is has [14:06] Pakistan actually been actively [14:10] facilitating Iran's delay strategy [14:13] and doing it in cahoots with China? [14:17] I've talked about Iran's delaying [14:19] strategy extensively on this channel [14:20] since before the war. That the goal from [14:22] Tehran's perspective has never been to [14:24] win the war militarily. They know they [14:26] can't. [14:28] The goal is to survive it, to keep the [14:30] regime intact long enough for Trump's [14:32] window to close, [14:34] for pressure to ease, for the [14:35] international community to tire of [14:37] conflict, [14:39] and then to reconstitute themselves, [14:41] lick their wounds, no matter how much [14:43] damage was done, as long as they stay in [14:45] power. [14:46] And the way to do that is time. [14:48] Time requires a lifeline. That's their [14:50] strategy. [14:52] They need someone to feed them enough [14:54] give them enough oxygen that they could [14:56] survive, that they could hang on. [14:58] Someone to keep supplies moving. Hmm, [15:00] maybe by building a land bridge. [15:04] Six land corridors Pakistan built to get [15:07] goods into Iran during the blockade that [15:11] is meant to strangle them quickly so [15:13] that this whole thing comes to a swift [15:14] conclusion. [15:18] So, Pakistan's job is to to the [15:20] Americans at the table talking instead [15:22] of striking. [15:24] Pakistan is giving a lifeline to the [15:25] Iranian regime. Think about it. Six land [15:28] corridors bypassing the blockade, the US [15:31] blockade. Iranian military jets [15:33] sheltered at American from American [15:36] strikes at at Pakistani airports. [15:40] Repeated ceasefire extension requests to [15:42] Trump. This is what Pakistan's been busy [15:44] with. [15:45] Which Trump accepted. [15:47] Meanwhile, China is directing the whole [15:48] operation from Beijing, encouraging the [15:50] Pakistanis to go further and further. [15:53] Now, compare that to what the the [15:54] analysts in this piece that I just [15:56] pulled up that I've been reading from on [15:58] the screen, this DW piece. [16:00] Compare that to what the analysts [16:02] said about the credibility problem [16:05] that Pakistan now faces. Check it out. [16:08] You know, the beginning of the piece [16:08] here. [16:11] Pakistan [snorts] risks growing [16:12] criticism if its efforts to revive [16:14] US-Iran talks fail, [16:17] especially after publicly taking a [16:19] leadership mediation role. [16:22] Uh that's from Michael Kugelman, a [16:23] senior fellow for South Asia at the [16:25] Washington-based Atlantic Council. [16:27] Quote, "With talks stalled, Pakistan's [16:30] options are limited because a mediator [16:32] cannot force two deeply distrustful [16:34] sides to negotiate. So, they risk losing [16:39] they risk a lot of criticism [16:41] if their efforts fail." That's what it [16:43] says here. [16:45] But, here's what that misses. [16:47] The talks stalling [16:49] is not a failure [16:51] of Pakistan's mission. The talks [16:53] stalling is the mission. Every week of [16:56] stalled negotiations is a week the [16:58] Iranian regime survives. Every ceasefire [17:01] extension is another week. Every [17:03] corridor is another week or another, [17:05] right? It Every [17:07] Every container of goods that gets in [17:10] there prolongs this. [17:12] Pakistan has not failed as a mediator. [17:15] Pakistan has succeeded at exactly what [17:18] it wants to do. It's just a different [17:19] job than it what it claimed to be doing. [17:24] So, where does that leave us? [17:28] Where does it leave us? You know, where [17:29] where does this leave us? You know, the [17:31] United States is fighting this war [17:34] against Iran. [17:36] It's spent billions of dollars. It's [17:37] lost American lives. It's committed [17:39] enormous military resources to the [17:41] effort. And throughout the entire [17:42] period, a country that calls itself [17:44] America's partner [17:46] has been running interference for the [17:47] other side, sheltering their planes, [17:49] opening their supply lines, buying them [17:51] time, and doing all of it in conjunction [17:54] with Beijing, [17:56] America's chief rival. [17:58] So, that's what I believe the record [17:59] shows. Not all of it is proven. Some of [18:02] it's my analysis. [18:04] But, I think that the questions are [18:06] real. I think they deserve answers. [18:10] Now, if you found this useful, please [18:11] share it, please. And uh I'm going to [18:14] put the QR code on the screen for the [18:16] webinar on Wednesday, America First [18:19] and Israel. Will America First remain uh [18:22] you know, uh [18:23] stay pro-Israel? [18:25] And uh with uh Josh Hammer, Dr. David [18:28] Wurmser, and Pastor Rob McCoy. It's [18:30] going to be an amazing webinar. Please [18:32] join us for that. [18:33] And uh if you found this this video [18:35] useful, please share it because these [18:37] are not questions that you're not that [18:39] you're going to hear on CNN. You're not [18:40] going to get this kind of analysis [18:42] anywhere. [18:43] So, please uh continue to share and tell [18:45] people about the about what we're doing [18:46] on this channel. [18:48] Um and uh and thank you so much for you [18:50] know, for watching and for helping grow [18:52] the channel and for spreading the word. [18:53] God bless.
