Pakistan Army Chief has put his country in the international spotlight thanks to the American-Iranian ceasefire, which bears his mark. Portrait of a man highly appreciated by Donald Trump.
He is an intermediary between the United States and Iran. Asim Munir, the Chief of the Pakistan Army, is one of the architects of the American-Iranian ceasefire. Thanks to him, the Vice President of the United States JD Vance and envoys of Donald Trump have been in Islamabad, Pakistan since Saturday, April 11, to negotiate with the Iranians.
Head of military intelligence initially and then of the ISI, the powerful Pakistani intelligence agency, Asim Munir was appointed Chief of the Army at the end of 2022. He has managed to extend his leadership over all forces (land, sea, and air) by extending his mandate and obtaining lifelong immunity. For many analysts, he is the most powerful man in the country.
“The preferred marshal” of Trump
Thrust into the forefront of the conflict between Iran and the United States in recent days, his success lies in the relationships he has forged with both parties. In April 2025, a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir triggers a brief war between India and Pakistan. While the world fears the worst between the two nuclear powers, a ceasefire is eventually reached.
As India claims bilateral success, Islamabad prefers to tell the story of Donald Trump as a mediator. Following this, Pakistan nominates the American president for the Nobel Peace Prize, and the Army Chief publicly praises his role. After a few encounters, Trump describes Munir as a “great guy” and eventually refers to him as his “preferred marshal,” as reported by Le Figaro.
Behind these flatteries are significant deals between the two men, as noted by RFI. The Pakistan embassy in Washington gets closer to lobbying companies close to the president to conclude mineral exploitation agreements. During a visit to the White House in September 2025, Asim Munir presents rocks said to contain rare earth elements. On January 14, Zachary Witkoff, son of Steve Witkoff and CEO of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency company linked to the Trump Organization, signs an agreement to integrate the USD1, World Liberty Financial’s cryptocurrency, into local payment infrastructures.
Links with Iran and significant influence
Regarding Iran, the ties are deeply rooted. “The land of the pure” is home to the second largest Shiite population in the world, and its embassy in Washington hosts the Iranian diplomatic mission. Asim Munir maintains old relations with the Revolutionary Guards and Shiite dignitaries of his country. He had summoned them after the death of Ali Khamenei to contain the violent demonstrations starting to shake certain cities in Pakistan.
With no official diplomatic role, the influence of the Marshal in the American-Iranian conflict is undeniable. Donald Trump had stated that he accepted the ceasefire “based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Marshal Asim Munir of Pakistan.” In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi publicly thanked “His Excellency Marshal Munir” for his “tireless efforts.”
