US President Donald Trump has credited Pakistan for pausing Operation Project Freedom, saying that Islamabad’s leadership asked him to stop during ongoing negotiations.
“Pakistan has been fantastic. Their leaders have been fantastic; the field marshal and the prime minister,” Trump told reporters in Washington DC.
“We’ll go back to it if we have to. They asked us not to do it during the negotiations,” he added.
The operation, which was launched on 4 May 2026 and paused a day later on 5 May, had been declared the second stage of the Iran war, following Operation Epic Fury. Trump’s remarks place Pakistan at the centre of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict between the US and Iran.
The statement drew a wave of reactions online. Many in Pakistan viewed it as recognition of the country’s role as a mediator. “Pakistan’s leadership is being globally appreciated for playing a constructive role in mitigating the war through mediation between Iran and the US,” one user remarked, adding that both sides now appear to be moving toward a ceasefire.
Others were more cautious. “Pakistan never asked him to suspend it. He’s using Pakistan for face saving,” one user noted, questioning whether Islamabad had actually made such a request or was being pulled into a narrative not of its making.
Some pushed back on the broader framing of US involvement in the region altogether. “Trump’s ‘Freedom’ is just a mask for chaos,” one user wrote, arguing that Iran had demonstrated more resilience than Washington DC anticipated.
There were those who read the moment differently not as Pakistani influence, but as a sign of US indecision. “A superpower that kills a project on a regional leader’s whim is nothing but an extra in someone else’s movie,” one user stressed, calling Trump’s remarks a confirmation of what they described as a lack of direction in US foreign policy.
Still, a section of Pakistani social media users expressed pride in the development. “At the request of Pakistan, let’s gooo,” one user wrote. Another conveyed gratitude toward Trump directly, calling his portrayal of Pakistan “humane” and praising the US-Pakistan alliance.
