Pakistan's Asim Munir may be a 'red flag' & 'liability' for Trump & co, US intel warns: Report

Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir has been flagged by US intelligence as a potential “red flag” and “liability” for US President Donald Trump and his administration, amid Islamabad’s role as a back-channel mediator between Washington and Tehran, according to reports by Fox News.

The concerns centre on Munir’s alleged longstanding ties with Iran’s top military leadership, even as he is facilitating sensitive diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran.

Intelligence officials have reportedly warned that this dual role could pose risks to US strategic interests, despite Trump’s public praise for Munir, whom he has described as his “favourite field marshal.”


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Munir is currently playing a key role in enabling indirect talks involving senior Trump administration figures and Iranian counterparts, positioning Pakistan as a critical—though potentially unpredictable—intermediary in the region.

ET Online could not independently verify the claims made in the report, nor could it identify the original source of the US intelligence assessment cited.

Iran ties under lens

Retired Pakistani General Ahmed Saeed told Fox News Digital that Munir maintained personal relationships with senior Iranian figures, including slain Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and IRGC chief Hossein Salami.

Analysts cited in the report said these alleged links have triggered concern in Washington, particularly as Munir acts as a conduit for communication with Tehran.

Bill Roggio of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warned that Pakistan’s track record makes it an unreliable partner, stating that Munir’s ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps should be seen as a “massive red flag” for the Trump administration.

Pakistan’s track record flagged

The report also highlighted Pakistan’s history in Afghanistan, where it was accused of backing the Taliban while receiving US assistance, as a reason for continued scepticism within US policy circles.

Experts from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies suggested Munir may be leveraging his rapport with Trump to quietly advance Iranian interests while reinforcing Pakistan’s role as an indispensable but unreliable intermediary.

Pakistani analyst Raza Rumi said Munir’s rise reflects the military’s growing dominance over civilian leadership in Pakistan. Critics have pointed to an intensified crackdown on political opposition since he took over in late 2022, including the sidelining of former prime minister Imran Khan.

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Fox News also cited Munir’s remarks at the Margalla Dialogue in Islamabad in November 2024, where he warned that unregulated freedom of expression was eroding moral values—comments seen as indicative of a preference for centralised authority and military-led policymaking.

Despite these concerns, Trump continues to rely heavily on Munir. He is now facilitating back-channel communications involving Trump aides such as Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials.

Trump has publicly credited Munir with doing a “great job” in arranging peace talks, even as US Vice President JD Vance recently walked out of negotiations in Pakistan over Iran’s refusal to make firm nuclear commitments.

(With inputs from agencies)