From 9/11 to the Iran War, Pakistan-US Ties Remain Transactional — The Diplomat

U.S. President Donald Trump is presented gifts from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington D.C., Sep. 25, 2025. Twenty-five years ago, the September 11 attacks transformed Pakistan’s relationship with the United States. Almost overnight, Pakistan went from facing American sanctions and limited diplomatic attention to becoming a frontline partner in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. In its counterterrorism cooperation, Pakistan offered vital ground-and air-based logistical transit to Afghanistan as well as intelligence and military action. In return, the United States provided financial reimbursement and military assistance in the form of subsidized sale of military hardware and technology. The relationship became increasingly strained as the two sides accused each other of failing to deliver what had been promised. Yet the two sides remained close as long as Washington needed Pakistan for the war in Afghanistan. When the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, much of the urgency behind the relationship disappeared. Washington’s political attention declined, although counterterrorism, trade, health, and other forms of engagement continued at the institutional level. Twenty-five years after 9/11, Pakistan and the United States appear to have entered another period of warm relations. Pakistan has again presented itself as a useful partner through mediation between Washington and Tehran, alongside cryptocurrency deals, critical…