A former Pentagon official has mocked Pakistan’s military credibility amid rising tensions around the Iran conflict, dismissing suggestions that Islamabad could play any meaningful role in potential US operations. Michael Rubin said Pakistan was prone to exaggerating its capabilities, describing it as “10 out of 10 in fantasy” when it comes to projecting military strength.Speaking to ANI on the possibility of Pakistan offering ground support to the United States, Rubin said such a move was unlikely both diplomatically and practically. “For diplomatic reasons, I don’t see the Pakistanis doing anything, and frankly, the Pakistanis don’t have the capability,” he said, adding that the country had a pattern of “bragging about capabilities they don’t have”.He also pointed to growing frustration in the Gulf, claiming Saudi Arabia was disappointed with Pakistan despite a recently signed mutual defence agreement. Rubin dismissed the pact outright, saying it made “about as much sense as making a military alliance with Papua New Guinea”, in remarks that underline scepticism in some US policy circles about Islamabad’s reliability.His comments come as Pakistan attempts to position itself as a mediator in the escalating crisis between Iran and the United States. Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said efforts to halt the war were approaching a “critical” and “sensitive” stage, though he offered no details.The diplomatic push coincides with a sharp escalation on the ground. Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face sweeping attacks on its infrastructure. He warned of the “complete demolition” of key facilities, including power plants and bridges, within hours if Tehran failed to comply.Iran has rejected the threat, with its military leadership calling Trump’s remarks “delusional” and vowing to continue operations against US and Israeli forces. Fresh exchanges of strikes have been reported, with Israel targeting sites in Tehran and Iran launching missiles towards Israeli territory, while Gulf states activated air defences.
