‘Not acceptable to us’: Pakistan rules out joining Abraham Accords amid US Iran peace push

Pakistan has firmly rejected any proposal to join the Abraham Accords, with Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stating that such a move would go against the country’s “fundamental ideologies,” according to Pakistani media reports.

In an interview with Samaa TV, Asif was asked about reports suggesting pressure from the United States to consider joining the Abraham Accords as part of a broader diplomatic push involving Iran.

He made it clear that Islamabad’s position remains unchanged.

“Personally, I don’t think we should join any such accord that clashes with our fundamental ideologies,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s stance on Israel remains consistent and long-standing.

When asked whether any communication had come from the US State Department, Asif responded: “We have a very clear stance that this is not acceptable to us.”

He also questioned the idea of engagement with Israel, pointing out that Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic relations and does not recognise Israel on official documents such as its passport.

What are the Abraham Accords?

The Abraham Accords are a series of US-brokered agreements launched in 2020 to normalise relations between Israel and several Arab nations. The initiative was introduced during the presidency of Donald Trump.

Under the framework, countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan established formal diplomatic ties with Israel.

More recently, Trump has urged additional countries, including Pakistan and several West Asian nations, to consider joining the accords as part of a broader regional peace strategy linked to efforts on Iran.

Pakistan’s consistent position on Israel

Pakistan has maintained for decades that it will not recognise Israel unless a viable and independent Palestinian state is established.

Successive governments in Islamabad have reiterated that there is no change in this policy, which stems from the country’s long-standing stance on the Palestinian issue.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has also previously confirmed that Pakistan will not join the Abraham Accords, stressing that the country’s position remains unchanged and firmly tied to the two-state solution framework.