Is Pakistan Minister Khawaja Asif Missing From Iran-US Peace Talks After His ‘Evil’ Israel Post?

Last Updated:April 11, 2026, 19:38 IST

US Iran peace talks begin in Islamabad with top Pakistani officials, but Defence Minister Asif is absent after his deleted anti-Israel post draws sharp Israeli and US criticism.

As the key meeting between senior Iranian and US delegates commences in Pakistan, the absence of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who recently faced ire over his remarks on Israel, in the talks was noticeable.

The peace talks began at Islamabad’s Serena Hotel, with the Iranian delegation led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf meeting Shehbaz Sharif, followed by US Vice President JD Vance, who was accompanied by White House envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi were also part of the discussions. However, Defence minister Khawaja Asif seemed to be missing among the delegation.

On Friday, just ahead of the US-Iran talks, Asif called Israel “evil and a curse for humanity, “cancerous, and “to get rid of European jews".

Asif claimed that as “peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon. Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel, first Gaza, then Iran and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated."

“I hope and pray people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land to get rid of European jews burn in hell," he wrote in a post on ‘X’.

The post invited a sharp response from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who slammed the remarks as “outrageous".

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also lashed out at Asif over his remarks, saying they are “openly antisemitic and inappropriate for a country that says it wants to mediate peace".

Khawaja Asif was also criticized by the US. Rep. Josh Gottheimer came down heavily upon Khawaja Asif over his comments against Israel, saying “hateful rhetoric like this is beyond acceptable" and that it must be condemned.

Though the minister’s remarks was later deleted but it did affect Islamabad’s carefully cultivated image as a neutral intermediary under scrutiny.

Indian intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir intervened to get Khawaja Asif’s post deleted, pointing to tensions within the country’s decision-making setup.

News world Is Pakistan Minister Khawaja Asif Missing From Iran-US Peace Talks After His ‘Evil’ Israel Post?

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