Trump Claims Credit on India-Pakistan, Netanyahu as Iran Dispute Deepens

US President Donald Trump renewed his claims of influence over conflicts and elections during campaign appearances in Texas, saying tariff threats helped halt India-Pakistan hostilities and his endorsement boosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s electoral prospects.

On Iran, Trump claimed Tehran wanted an agreement but was delaying negotiations, possibly until after the US midterm elections. His remarks drew a sharp response from Iran’s foreign ministry, which accused Washington of disregarding its diplomatic commitments.

Trump repeats tariff claim on India-Pakistan

Speaking at a rally in Corpus Christi, Trump said he had used trade pressure to prevent further fighting between India and Pakistan.

“I ended eight wars, but five of them were ended by the use of trade, like India and Pakistan,” he told supporters.

Trump claimed he had threatened both countries with tariffs of 250% if hostilities continued. He also repeated his assertion that 11 aircraft had been shot down during the confrontation.

India has rejected external mediation and disputed his account of aircraft losses. New Delhi’s stated position is that the May 10, 2025 understanding to halt military action followed direct contact between the two countries’ Directors General of Military Operations, initiated by Pakistan.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

Trump also revisited his complaint about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, citing the conflicts he claims to have resolved. His account of the India-Pakistan confrontation remains at odds with India’s explanation.

Netanyahu claim comes before final results

Trump separately suggested that his endorsement had helped Netanyahu recover ground in Israel’s election.

“I think when the endorsement went out, it had helped him a lot,” he told reporters after a Texas rally. He also shared a supportive assessment on Truth Social attributing Netanyahu’s performance to the endorsement.

The outcome remained unsettled. According to figures cited by ANI, with 55.4% of votes counted at 7.43 am local time, Netanyahu’s bloc was projected to secure 55 seats and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar Party 49. Two Arab coalitions were projected to take the remaining 16.

Those were partial projections, with further counting, including ballots cast in double envelopes, still pending. Trump’s assertion does not establish that his endorsement caused any shift in voting.

Netanyahu called for a strong right-wing government and opposed a coalition dependent on Arab parties.

Iran accuses Washington of reneging

Returning from his rallies, Trump claimed Iran had sought a deal but was prolonging the process.

“They’ve wanted to make a deal, but they like tapping it along. Maybe they’re waiting for the election or something,” he said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei criticised Trump’s remarks about the 14-point Islamabad memorandum of understanding. Baghaei accused Washington of reneging on commitments and treating international obligations as disposable.

“Broken commitments cannot be excused, international law cannot be applied selectively,” he wrote on X.

Trump maintained that he would determine when the confrontation ended. The exchanges offered no confirmed timetable for an agreement.

With inputs from ANI