How Pakistan became internet's latest meme obsession

Pakistan is once again trending globally, this time at the intersection of geopolitics, diplomacy and internet meme culture, as a phrase linked to the ongoing US-Iran crisis has morphed into one of social media's most viral joke formats.

From diplomatic conversations in Islamabad and Washington to millions of smartphones worldwide, the phrase "At the request of Pakistan" has taken on a life of its own, transforming a political reference into an unexpected global meme phenomenon.

The phrase gained traction after US President Donald Trump used it during discussions surrounding the US-Iran crisis, amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.

As Pakistan repeatedly called for restraint and de-escalation, drawing attention to its rare ability to maintain ties with both Iran and the United States, that diplomatic visibility quickly spilled into the online world.

Initially, the phrase was weaponised sarcastically by critics of Trump, particularly those mocking the notion of Washington acting "at the request of Pakistan".

One of the earliest viral examples came from former US Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who joked: "Pretty soon: 'At the request of Pakistan, we are inviting Iran to blockade our ports until at which time we can negotiate a solution.'"

An X account, Republicans against Trump, also joined in, posting: "Why is Pakistan directing U.S. foreign policy? Can you imagine any other U.S. president making a major change in military action based on a request from Pakistan?"

But the internet soon took the phrase in a very different direction.

Users across X rapidly detached the format from geopolitics altogether, turning it into absurdist everyday humour.

One user posted: "At the request of Pakistan, I will abstain from cookies today".

Another joked, "Today at the gym, I was about to do a serious workout. But after two sets, at the request of Pakistan, I stopped."

A third wrote: "At the request of Pakistan, I am signing off until tomorrow. Thank you for your attention to this matter."

That irony was not lost on Pakistani users.

Journalist Kamran Yousaf added his own spin, remarking that Pakistan appreciated the effort, but "when we have President Trump for our PR, we don't need you."

On April 12, 2025, Iran and the United States had begun a series of negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear peace agreement, following a letter from US president Donald Trump to Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Trump set a 60-day deadline for Iran to reach an agreement. After the deadline passed without an agreement, Israel launched numerous strikes against Iran, igniting a war between the two countries.

The first round of high-level meetings was held in Oman on April 12, 2025, led by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. At the time, both the White House and the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that the discussions held were constructive. A second round of Omani-mediated talks took place in Rome on April 19, 2025, again with indirect discussions between Witkoff and Araghchi. This was followed by a third round in Muscat around a week later, and an expert-level meeting to develop a framework for a possible nuclear agreement was led by Michael Anton for the US and by Majid Takht-Ravanchi for Iran.

The US military had been building up its presence in the Middle East as the threat of war escalated. US bases throughout the region accommodate approximately 50,000 American troops, as well as the biggest air force presence in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. As part of the peace proposals, Iran proposed building at least 19 additional reactors, suggesting that American involvement in these projects could help revitalize the US nuclear industry. A planned address by Araghchi to formally announce this proposal was ultimately cancelled.