Pakistan on Monday firmly denied social media rumors and media reports claiming it would launch a nuclear strike on Israel if Iran were attacked, labeling the allegations as false and inflammatory. The statement came from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a speech to Pakistan’s Senate, where he condemned what he called a dangerous and baseless narrative circulating online.
“No one from the government has made any such statement,” Dar said. “We must all exercise the utmost caution in our statements—this is not child’s play. A serious conflict is already underway.”
Dar added that the Foreign Ministry, along with the Ministry of Information and other relevant institutions, is actively monitoring the situation and conducting fact-checking to combat misinformation. He pointed to multiple fake news items and AI-generated video clips, including one purporting to show President Donald Trump discussing Pakistan, which he said had been debunked.
“There’s also a video clip of President Donald Trump being circulated, but upon verification, we found it to be an AI-generated fake,” Dar stated.
In contrast, he confirmed the authenticity of a 2011 interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which Netanyahu expressed concern over nuclear proliferation in Iran and Pakistan. “The clip of Netanyahu’s interview is not fake news—it is from a 2011 interview,” Dar said.
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Referring to the Israel-Iran war, Dar warned against any preemptive or retaliatory strike on nuclear installations, saying it would constitute a violation of international law. “Striking nuclear installations is a violation of international law, as it could trigger devastating retaliatory consequences,” he said.
Dar also emphasized that, regardless of a country’s membership in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, launching a nuclear attack would be a grave offense with potentially catastrophic repercussions.
“No such statement has been made from our side—the narrative being circulated is distorted and misleading,” he said, once again rejecting reports of Pakistan offering nuclear assistance to Iran.
As tensions between Israel and Iran escalate, Dar said Pakistan’s military has been placed on high alert to protect its nuclear infrastructure. At the same time, he indicated there may still be room for diplomacy, revealing that Iran is open to negotiations if Israeli airstrikes cease.
“Iran’s foreign minister told me they are ready for talks, provided Israel does not launch more attacks,” Dar said, referring to a direct conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “There is still a chance to prevent further escalation.”
Since the conflict began, social media has been flooded with false claims asserting that Pakistan pledged full military support to Iran, including the supply of nuclear weapons. A senior security official in Islamabad told The Media Line that Indian social media accounts had played a central role in spreading the rumors.
“There is clear evidence Indian social media activists have deliberately spread disinformation in an attempt to avenge their recent humiliation in the Pak-India conflict,” the official said. “Through these false claims, they are trying to drag Pakistan into a war it has no part in.”
The official reiterated that Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine remains centered on India and adheres strictly to the principle of credible minimum deterrence.
“Pakistan’s nuclear policy is firmly focused on India,” he said. “Efforts to link Pakistan to nuclear signaling outside its stated security framework are not only misleading but also reckless and entirely unfounded.”
While reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and solidarity among Muslim countries, officials made clear that Pakistan’s nuclear redlines are defined by its sovereign security needs and are not subject to reinterpretation by foreign actors.