In a week already rife with diplomatic drama, U.S. President Donald Trump has once again found himself at the center of controversy—this time for repeatedly confusing India with Iran while boasting about his role in averting a supposed nuclear war between India and Pakistan. The gaffe, which unfolded during an impassioned defense of his trade policies, has reignited debate over the facts behind the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict and the true nature of the ceasefire that followed.
On October 15, 2025, speaking before reporters at the White House, President Trump attempted to illustrate the power of tariffs as a tool for national security. In doing so, he claimed that his threat to impose a 200% tariff on both India and Pakistan was the decisive factor in halting a looming conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Yet, in a slip that quickly went viral, Trump twice referred to India as "Iran," stating, "If you look at Pakistan and Iran—I told them I was in the midst of negotiating a trade deal with Iran and Pakistan, and because of tariffs, they wanted to negotiate much differently. I heard they were shooting at each other, and then I said during one of my conversations, 'Are you guys going to go to war?' I said, 'Here’s a deal—you go to war, and I gotta put a 200% tariff and stop you from doing any business in the United States.' I said this to both of them, and within 24 hours, the war ended. That would have been a nuclear war."
The blunder was all the more glaring given that Iran is not a nuclear power, and the context was clearly about the India-Pakistan standoff. Trump’s repeated confusion between the two countries set off a flurry of reactions on social media and among diplomatic circles, with many observers questioning the accuracy of his broader claims.
Trump’s narrative didn’t stop at tariffs. He asserted that his actions saved millions of lives and that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had publicly praised him for his peace efforts. According to Trump, Sharif even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize during the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. "The Prime Minister of Pakistan got up the other day, said so beautifully, he says, 'You saved millions of lives.' He told that to a group of people right in this office. He said, the President saved millions of lives," Trump recounted. Sharif, for his part, delivered an emotional tribute at the summit, declaring, "Today is one of the greatest days in contemporary history because peace has been achieved after untiring efforts led by President Trump. Pakistan has nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is the most genuine and the most wonderful candidate for this honour."
Yet, despite Trump’s repeated claims—he has publicly recounted this anecdote more than 50 times—India has remained steadfast in denying any third-party mediation in the ceasefire that followed the four-day conflict after Operation Sindoor. According to India Today and other Indian outlets, New Delhi has consistently stated that the ceasefire understanding was reached through direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan, not as a result of U.S. trade threats or intervention.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the Lok Sabha in July 2025, was unequivocal: "The record of what happened at that time was very clear and the ceasefire was something which was negotiated between the DGMOs of the two countries." He further clarified, "At no stage in any conversation with the United States was there any linkage with trade and what was going on." Jaishankar also confirmed that there was no call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump between April 22 and June 17, 2025—a timeline that covers the period of the hostilities and the subsequent ceasefire.
The conflict itself was sparked by a terrorist attack on April 22, 2025, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, which killed 26 people. In response, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, unleashing a series of cross-border drone and missile strikes. The fighting lasted for four days, with both sides suffering casualties and, according to Trump, seven aircraft being shot down—though this figure has not been independently verified.
On May 10, 2025, India and Pakistan reached an understanding to end hostilities, following intense military and diplomatic engagement. Indian officials have repeatedly emphasized that this outcome was the product of direct communication between the two militaries, not the result of U.S. pressure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in Parliament on October 16, 2025, provided further details about the crisis. He revealed that U.S. Vice President JD Vance had attempted to contact him on the night of May 9 to warn of an impending large-scale Pakistani attack. "On the night of 9th May, the Vice President of America tried to talk to me. He tried for an hour, but I was in a meeting with my army, so I could not pick up his call. Later, I called him back. The Vice President of America told me on the phone that Pakistan is going to launch a big attack. My answer was that if Pakistan has this intention, it will cost them a lot. If Pakistan attacks, we will respond by launching a big attack. This was my answer," Modi told the Lower House. He went on to stress, "No leader anywhere in the world had asked India to stop its response," and reaffirmed that "Operation Sindoor has not been called off yet and Pakistan remains on notice." Modi concluded by stating that India would not succumb to nuclear blackmail, adding that Pakistan’s "nuclear bluff has been called."
Despite the clear and consistent statements from Indian officials, Trump has continued to tout his version of events, using the episode as a centerpiece in his argument for the effectiveness of tariffs in global diplomacy. "Not only the money, the power to keep peace, the power to be used for good, is enormous. But a lot of people didn't understand tariffs. It's also made us very rich," Trump told reporters, defending his approach to international relations.
The episode has left many observers scratching their heads. While Trump’s supporters point to his unconventional tactics as examples of disruptive diplomacy, critics argue that his repeated factual errors and insistence on personal credit undermine the credibility of U.S. foreign policy. The viral video of Trump confusing India with Iran has only added fuel to the debate, highlighting the risks of imprecise language in high-stakes international affairs.
As of mid-October 2025, Operation Sindoor remains officially active, and the region is still tense. Both India and Pakistan continue to monitor the situation closely, with New Delhi making it clear that any future provocation will be met with a robust response. For now, the world watches and waits, hoping that peace will hold—and that clarity, not confusion, will guide the next chapter in South Asia’s turbulent history.