ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday condemned recent drone attacks targeting civilians in the Azeri region of Nakhchivan and expressed solidarity with both Azerbaijan and Türkiye as tensions continue to rise across the wider region.
In a statement posted on X, the prime minister said he spoke with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and strongly denounced the attacks that struck civilian areas in the country’s exclave of Nakhchivan.
Sharif said he conveyed Pakistan’s “complete solidarity with the leadership and brotherly people of Azerbaijan” during difficult time for the country.
During the call, the prime minister also briefed Aliyev on Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic outreach in response to the rapidly evolving security situation in Iran and the broader Gulf region.
Both leaders discussed the need to reduce tensions and agreed on the importance of diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.
“They agreed on the importance of de-escalation and stressed the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region,” officials said, adding that the two leaders would remain in close contact as developments unfold.
In a separate message, PM Sharif also expressed deep concern over a recent attack targeting Türkiye, reiterating Pakistan’s support for Ankara amid the growing regional uncertainty.
The prime minister said Pakistan stands “in full solidarity with our brave Turkish brothers,” warning that such incidents risk worsening an already volatile situation.
Sharif reiterated that restraint and diplomacy remain essential to preventing a broader regional confrontation.
“The prime minister called for maximum restraint and emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to uphold respect for sovereignty and maintain peace and stability in the region,” officials said.
The diplomatic outreach comes as tensions across the Middle East and surrounding regions have escalated sharply following initial strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian military and leadership targets, including facilities linked to the country’s defense establishment.
The strikes triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran across parts of the Gulf and neighboring regions, raising fears that the conflict could expand and draw in additional countries.
Azerbaijan has accused Iran of carrying out drone strikes in its border region, with President Aliyev describing the attacks as “terrorism” after an airport and a school were reportedly hit.
Türkiye has also reported a missile-related incident linked to the widening hostilities. Turkish authorities said a ballistic missile launched from Iran traveled over Iraqi and Syrian airspace before being intercepted by NATO air defense systems.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan has intensified diplomatic engagement with regional partners while calling for restraint, dialogue and renewed efforts to prevent the crisis from spiraling into a wider conflict.
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