‘Israel and Iran Will Make a Deal’: Trump Draws Parallel With India-Pakistan

Trump Predicts Israel-Iran Peace Deal, Cites India-Pakistan Example as Middle East Conflict Escalates.

As tensions between Israel and Iran escalated into full-scale missile exchanges, former US President Donald Trump on Sunday predicted that the two longtime adversaries would reach a peace agreement “soon.” Drawing parallels with past conflicts, Trump claimed credit for mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during his first term, and suggested similar diplomacy could work in the Middle East.

Trump’s comments came shortly after Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a wide-ranging military offensive that targeted Iran’s nuclear, military, and missile infrastructure. In retaliation, Iran fired hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones toward Israeli cities, marking the most serious escalation between the two nations in years.

Speaking on his platform, Truth Social, Trump said:

“Iran and Israel should make a deal—and will make a deal—just like I got India and Pakistan to make… using trade with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders.”

He also cited his role in de-escalating other regional conflicts during his presidency, including between Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile River dispute. Trump criticised President Joe Biden’s foreign policy decisions, claiming they had undermined long-term peace prospects, but promised to “fix it again.”

“Likewise, we will have peace, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings are now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything… but that’s okay, the people understand. Make the Middle East Great Again,” Trump added.

Conflict Deepens as Civilian Casualties Mount
The situation on the ground continued to deteriorate on the third day of intense fighting. In Tehran, an Israeli missile struck a high-rise residential building, killing at least 60 people, including 29 children, according to Iranian officials. Meanwhile, an earlier Iranian strike on northern Israel left three women dead and 10 others injured.

Iran responded with another wave of over 200 ballistic missiles and drones, reportedly launched in four successive attacks. While Israeli defence systems, bolstered by US support, intercepted the majority, some projectiles penetrated Israeli airspace, killing four civilians in the Galilee region.

In a significant escalation, Israel struck Iran’s Defence Ministry headquarters in Tehran, as well as a major natural gas processing facility linked to the South Pars gas field in Bushehr province.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes, declaring Iran’s nuclear ambitions were in “the 90th minute.” He warned of more aggressive military action to come:

“What they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days.”

Global Calls for Restraint
Amid rising global alarm, India called for “dialogue and diplomacy” to ease tensions during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. While the China-led SCO strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes, India refrained from endorsing the statement, instead stressing the need for restraint on all sides.

As regional powers weigh their responses, fears of a broader Middle East war continue to mount, with both sides trading threats of further escalation.