I’d hate to be a grammar/geography nazi, but that is the proper way to pronounce it. Iraq is “E-rock” not “I-rack”. Iran is “E-ron” not “I-ran”. I think our public school teachers are either lazy or ignorant and never teach the proper names of countries in geography classes.
Contrast his exacting care in pronouncing Pakistan with his inexcusable mispronunciation of corpsman as "corpse-man". He was referring to a navy corpsman, and said "corpse-man" twice in the same speech.
‘__grammar Nazi__’
(Some) Teachers and (some)parents - - -
Add Italy to the mix. Eye- talian - ooph!
However, for years we in America have pronounced Pakistan, “Pack-is-tan.”
It wasn’t until a few years back listening to Monsour somebody or somebody Monsour, on FOX, (whatever became of him - - )? did we hear ‘Pock-is-tahn, tohn,’ whatever.
However other countries’ names are pronounced by their citizens, we speak/pronounciate AMERICAN.