Two Republican senators have publicly questioned the role of Qatar and Pakistan as intermediaries in the Iran ceasefire negotiations, accusing both nations of long histories of supporting terrorism even as they help broker a deal aimed at ending the conflict.
Senator Rick Scott took aim at both countries in a post on X, writing that recent developments had made clear "who our friends really are."
He said, "Qatar and Pakistan have long histories of harboring terrorists, and right now they seem far more invested in propping up Iran's decades-long terror campaign than achieving a meaningful peace."
Scott added that while "there is still room for a workable agreement that benefits everyone," he stressed that "there is ZERO chance Iran comes out of this able to build a nuclear weapon."
It should be clear to everybody by now who our friends really are.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) June 22, 2026
Qatar and Pakistan have long histories of harboring terrorists, and right now they seem far more invested in propping up Iran's decades-long terror campaign than achieving a meaningful peace.
There is still room…
Separately, Senator Tim Sheehy went further on Pakistan specifically, raising direct objections to Islamabad's involvement as an intermediary.
In the talks during an appearance on Fox News' "Fox & Friends", Sheehy was asked by host Brian Kilmeade whether he had a problem with Qatar and Pakistan serving as go-betweens, Sheehy said, "I do. I think Qatar and Pakistan, they have a role to play for sure, but if they're going to be at the table, we better have UAE and Saudi and Israel at the table too."
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He accused Doha of financial misconduct over an extended period, saying, "Qatar's been laundering money for terrorist organizations for decades." Sheehy then turned to Pakistan's record, alleging, "The Pakistanis, through ISI, funded insurgencies against us and hid bin Laden," referring to Pakistan's intelligence agency and Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, who was killed by US forces in a 2011 raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, after evading capture for nearly a decade.
VIDEO - Sen. Sheehy: Pakistan Hid bin Laden for a Decade, I Do Have a Problem with Them Being Intermediary @SheehyforMT @kilmeade https://t.co/OzXCNoatLB
— Grabien (@GrabienMedia) June 22, 2026
The remarks come as Qatar and Pakistan have played visible mediating roles in talks aimed at stabilising the region following the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed last week, which sought to end months of military conflict and ease tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Both senators' comments suggest growing unease within parts of the Republican Senate caucus over the credibility of the current diplomatic framework, even as the broader ceasefire and follow-on nuclear talks continue to hold.
Neither Qatar nor Pakistan has yet issued a public response to the senators' remarks.
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