Trump, Munir, and the coming storm: Why Bangladesh may become the next Iran

On June 18, when US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistani Army Chief “Field Marshal” Asim Munir at the White House and declared, “I love Pakistan”, the moment was greeted with jubilation across Pakistan and among pro-Pakistan circles in Bangladesh. Many interpreted this as the dawn of a new alliance, symbolizing the triumph of Islamabad and the “Muslim ummah” over so-called “infidels” and “enemies of Islam”.

During the White House luncheon, President Trump called Asim Munir “extremely influential”, hinting at the beginning of a new chapter of close cooperation between his administration and Pakistan Army. International media outlets celebrated the occasion, with Nikkei Asia reporting, “The lunch meeting between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House on Wednesday proved something of a diplomatic breakthrough as Islamabad woos Trump with its recently announced national crypto reserve plan…”

Commenting on this development, research scholar and Middle East affairs expert Peter Baum noted in Blitz, “It is extremely difficult to analyze the immediate impact of the current military action, but clearly it must have been both dramatic and devastating for those in control in Iran. Where can the regime go from here, given their proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza and Syria have also been severely weakened these last few months? The Iranians have been outmaneuvered, and Netanyahu’s tactics have succeeded”.

Baum added, “Iran’s primary political and military allies – China and Russia – are apparently not stepping in to assist. Even Pakistan retreated from Iran’s clumsy attempt to engage them militarily. In fact, President Trump’s early departure from the recent G7 meeting to welcome Pakistan’s military leaders suggests Pakistani duplicity in its so-called alliance with Iran”.

Baum continued, “Pakistan’s subsequent call for President Trump to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? How very strange. Now analysts are asking what Trump offered Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir in exchange for this unprecedented White House reception. Pakistan has sold out its ‘ally’ Iran in return for what – trade deals, political favors, or a future seat at the table when Iran’s regime eventually collapses? It was naive of the Iranians to think Pakistan, a Sunni-majority country, would side with a Shia theocracy over its traditional Sunni partners like Saudi Arabia”.

Indeed, Peter Baum’s insight exposes just part of a broader geopolitical shift. In my analysis, Asim Munir – ambitious and pragmatic – likely pledged unconditional support for Trump’s strategy of dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This operation, some hope, will precipitate regime change and Iran’s return to a more democratic order. In return, Asim Munir may have received Trump’s backing for a potential military takeover in Pakistan and a campaign against domestic Islamists and pro-Iranian or pro-Palestinian jihadist factions.

Although the June 22 US airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – have officially been described by US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine as having caused “extremely severe damage”, no public mention of Pakistani involvement has surfaced. However, based on credible sources, these operations were not launched from Guam, as previously speculated. Instead, the US utilized Pakistani airspace and reportedly staged elements of the strike from Noor Khan Airbase. This strongly suggests that Pakistan has now actively joined the US-Israel axis in its war against Iran’s mullah regime.

While Washington maintains that the goal of the strikes is not regime change, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated in a post-strike briefing that the operation was focused solely on “addressing threats posed by Iran’s nuclear program”.

Nevertheless, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has vowed retaliation and identified US military bases in the region as potential targets – likely including Noor Khan Airbase, given Pakistan’s clandestine role. Tehran is unlikely to ignore Islamabad’s betrayal.

Following the strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the United States, declaring, “Congratulations, President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history”.

He continued, “In Operation Rising Lion, Israel has done truly amazing things. But in tonight’s action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, America has been truly unsurpassed. History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons”.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, meanwhile, declared that every American citizen and soldier in the region is now a “legitimate target”. This amounts to a global declaration of war – not only against the United States, but also its regional partners, including Pakistan.

While US media outlets speculate that Trump may pause further strikes, Tehran is unlikely to take this aggression lightly. In my view, Iran’s mullahs will retaliate by striking US military installations and possibly diplomatic missions in the region. They may also look for launchpads in countries with pro-Iranian or pro-Palestinian sentiment – Bangladesh being a prime candidate.

Since the August 2024 jihadist coup in Bangladesh, which was meticulously designed by the Biden Administration with active participation of Bill and Hillary Clinton as well as George and Alexander Soros with collaboration of Pakistani spy agency Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI), anti-Semitism, pro-Hamas propaganda, and Islamist fervor have surged. Alarmingly, the current regime under Muhammad Yunus appears either complicit or indifferent to these developments.

After Israel’s June 13 pre-emptive airstrikes on Iran, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs hastily condemned the attacks. Their statement read:

“Bangladesh unequivocally expresses its strong condemnation and deep concern over the latest Israeli military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran. This blatant act of hostility constitutes a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and fundamental principles of international law and the sovereignty of Iran. It poses a serious threat to regional and global peace and security with far-reaching consequences”.

While the Yunus regime rushed to denounce Israel, most Muslim-majority nations remained silent. In parallel, pro-Yunus activists flooded social media with anti-Israel, anti-Hindu, and anti-Semitic propaganda. Many called on Muslims to travel to Gaza and wage war – including suicide missions – against Israel. Others urged attacks inside India, branding it a “Zionist ally”.

Bangladeshi expatriates across the United States, United Kingdom, and Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE have echoed similar sentiments, spreading Iranian and Hamas-aligned propaganda. Disturbingly, they are reportedly collecting funds to support Iranian militias and Hamas operatives in their war against “Zionist forces and their collaborators”.

Now, as Pakistan under Asim Munir has aligned itself with the United States and Israel – betraying both the Palestinians and the Iranian regime – Tehran will undoubtedly seek new alliances in the Muslim world. Bangladesh, under the Islamist rule of Muhammad Yunus, represents a dangerously willing partner. The country is already a breeding ground for anti-Israel, anti-US, anti-Christian, and anti-India extremism. Its ties to international Islamist networks make it an ideal platform for Iran to stage its next phase of aggression.

If the United States fails to recognize the rapidly metastasizing threat emanating from Bangladesh under the Yunus regime, it risks allowing a new epicenter of Islamist extremism to flourish – one that could soon surpass even Tehran in volatility and danger. It is important to note, Muhammad Yunus – an ally and financial associate of Hillary and Bill Clinton, as well as George and Alexander Soros – is transforming Bangladesh into a regional powder keg. The betrayal by Pakistan is only the beginning; Tehran is now hunting for new proxies, and Dhaka is ripe for the picking. President Trump must not allow geopolitical convenience to blind him to the explosive threat that Yunus poses. If swift and decisive measures are not taken to dismantle this Islamist stronghold, Bangladesh may soon emerge not just as Iran’s next ally, but as the next launchpad of global jihad – posing a direct threat to American lives, allies, and interests across the globe.

(Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is an internationally acclaimed multi-award-winning journalist, writer, research-scholar, and Editor, Blitz. He regularly writes for local and international newspapers. Follow him on X: Salah_Shoaib)