In an interview to a private TV channel, Lt Gen (r) Mustafa stated that before the killing of former Iranian leader of Al-Quds force, Pakistan had been informed of the action that United States was about to engage in.
The defence analyst viewed that he knew something was up when the crown prince of United Arab Emirates paid a sudden visit to Pakistan on January 2.
Lt Gen (r) Mustafa said that this was no ordinary visit, as the crown prince came and left suddenly.
UAE’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Pakistan on Thursday, and announced US$200 million in aid for economic projects.
Al Nahyan also discussed talks on bilateral, regional and international issues in the short day-long visit.
A day after the visit, Iranian General Qasim Soleimani was killed in a drone strike near Baghdad airport. Qasim Soleimani was the commander of the Al-Quds force, which deals with the Iranian regime’s external military operations. The general was important when it came to Iran’s influence in its neighbourhood, especially Syria and Iraq.
Tensions in the Middle East have been high as Iran has vowed revenge. On Saturday, foreign media reported that rockets launched by Iranian-backed militias landed near the US Embassy in Baghdad and an Iraqi airbase housing US troops.