ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday reiterated the country’s “call for de-escalation, restraint and diplomacy to restore peace and stability in the region” as tension in the Middle East rose.
The conflict between the US and Iran, which entered its third day, started after the North American country pre-emptively struck Tehran after learning that its ally Israel was going to strike the country.
While briefing the resident heads of diplomatic missions in Islamabad on recent developments in the region, the foreign minister expressed condolences over the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who passed away in targeted US-Israeli strikes over the weekend. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that it was Israel that carried out the strike that killed Iran's supreme leader.
The foreign minister also highlighted “Pakistan’s sustained restraint and positive engagement with Afghan Taliban regime during the past four years,” the foreign office said in a post on X.
However, the FM Dar said that the Afghan government failed to “address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.”
He added that Pakistan’s retaliatory attack against the Taliban began after the Afghan forces carried out an “unprovoked coordinated armed attack” along the border, compelling Pakistan to “undertake measured and precise kinetic actions” to counter the situation.
Under the directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and FM Dar, Pakistan has also started evacuating residents from Iran amid escalating security concerns in the region. In a development, 33 Pakistani nationals were safely evacuated from Iran via Astara, bringing the total facilitated so far to 64. 31 citizens were relocated to Azerbaijan early on Monday.
According to Pakistan’s embassy in Azerbaijan, 42 people evacuated were repatriated to Lahore; meanwhile, arrangements were being made for the remaining citizens in Azerbaijan.
The embassy also advised nationals from Iran to prepare for “cold and near-freezing night temperatures.”
“Please ensure warm layered clothing, caps, gloves, and extra care for children and elderly,” it said in a post on X, adding that the embassy teams were on the ground to facilitate transit. An emergency helpline number has also been set up for the embassy in Baku: +994102552936.
PM talks to Kuwait, Syria
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa to discuss the dangerous regional escalation and offer condolences over the attacks.
While speaking to Kuwait’s crown prince, the prime minister conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives, reaffirming Pakistan’s full solidarity with the people of Kuwait during this time.
“We agreed on the urgent need for restraint, de-escalation, and a return to diplomacy amid heightened tensions aggravated by Israel's attack on Iran and Iran's retaliatory strikes against various brotherly Gulf nations, including Kuwait,” PM Shehbaz said in a post on X.
In a separate conversation with the Syrian president, PM Sharif “emphasized the urgent need for restraint, de-escalation and dialogue to preserve peace and stability.”
“Pakistan remains committed to working with brotherly countries to promote peace and strengthen our longstanding ties,” the prime minister said.
.jpg)
.jpg)