.
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Saturday condemned Israeli and US attacks on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on several Gulf countries, in what appears to be a carefully calibrated diplomatic response aimed at maintaining balance amid a rapidly escalating regional crisis.
In a strongly worded statement, the Foreign Office deplored the “breakdown of talks and outbreak of hostilities” in the Middle East, saying the attacks on Iran came at a time when diplomatic efforts were being made to secure a peaceful, negotiated settlement.
“These attacks will undermine the peace and stability of the entire region, with far-reaching consequences,” the statement said, without directly naming Israel or the United States, but clearly referring to their attacks on Iranian targets earlier that day.
However, in a parallel condemnation, Islamabad also denounced Iran’s subsequent attacks on what it described as “brotherly countries,” including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, calling them “flagrant violations of sovereignty.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of a Pakistani national in the United Arab Emirates during what it called a “cowardly attack”, further underscoring Islamabad’s concern over the growing fallout from the confrontation.
The carefully balanced statement reflects Pakistan’s complex diplomatic position. While Islamabad has traditionally supported Iran’s right to sovereignty and has consistently criticized Israeli actions in the region, it also maintains deep strategic, economic and security ties with the Gulf States, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif moved quickly to strengthen those ties, holding separate telephone conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
In his conversation with the Saudi crown prince, the prime minister “strongly condemned the serious regional escalation” resulting from the Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent attacks on the Gulf countries.
He assured the Saudi leadership of Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support”, pledging that Islamabad would stand by its “Saudi brothers and sisters in all circumstances”.
Similarly, in his call with the emir of Qatar, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support” with Qatar amid the crisis, referring to their recent meeting in Doha and emphasizing Pakistan’s readiness to play a constructive role in ensuring regional peace.
Furthermore, in conversation with the President of the UAE, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the serious regional escalation resulting from the Israeli attack on Iran earlier, followed by the regrettable attacks on the UAE, both in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as other Gulf countries.
The Prime Minister also expressed sadness over the tragic death of a Pakistani national in the missile attack on Abu Dhabi.
He assured the UAE leadership of Pakistan’s solidarity and support in the current crisis and said that Pakistan will always stand by its Emirati brothers and sisters, in line with the close brotherly ties between both countries, which have stood the test of times.
Diplomatic observers say Islamabad is trying to walk a tightrope at a time when tensions threaten to escalate into a broader regional conflict. Pakistan shares a long border with Iran and has recently sought to stabilize ties. At the same time, their economic livelihood is closely linked to the Gulf States, where millions of Pakistani expatriates reside and billions of dollars in remittances originate.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged all parties to exercise “utmost restraint” and refrain from further actions that could undermine the security and territorial integrity of countries in the region. He also highlighted the need to defend international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Significantly, Islamabad called for a return to diplomacy, emphasizing that only a peaceful, negotiated solution could defuse the crisis.
In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday strongly condemned the unjustified attacks on Iran.
He called for an immediate cessation of escalation through the urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the crisis, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a press release.
MPD/FM received a call from Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. They reviewed the evolution of the situation in Iran and the region in general.
