WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States would hit Iran with &quot;force that has never been seen before&quot; if the country retaliated against US and Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran indicated it was &quot;going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,&quot; wrote Trump, who has vowed to seek regime change in the Islamic republic, on his Truth Social platform early Sunday. &quot;THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!&quot; he said.<div class="fr-embed"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116152251973821428/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>&#39;As long as necessary&#39;The bombing campaign by the US and Israel -- which followed a massive military buildup in the Middle East unseen since the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- killed Khamenei, Iranian state television confirmed Sunday. Iran has since retaliated, with reported Iranian strikes across the Gulf, including in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi and near regional US military bases. Trump has said the US bombing will continue &quot;as long as necessary&quot; and noted Khamenei&#39;s killing gives Iranians their &quot;greatest chance&quot; for taking power from the current regime.

Middle East

After Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's death in US-Israeli strikes, US president in a social media post warned Iran against retaliation, saying, 'THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT...WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!' 

Trump threatens Iran with force if they retaliate following Khamenei’s assassination

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Dhaka&rsquo;s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after multiple airlines halted or disrupted flights to the Middle East amid a sudden regional airspace squeeze, Bangladeshi media reported on Sunday.&nbsp; Services from Bangladesh to several Middle Eastern destinations were suspended from Saturday afternoon after some countries temporarily closed their airspace following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran&rsquo;s retaliation.&nbsp;As news of the suspensions spread, crowds, dominated by migrant workers, alongside business travellers, Umrah pilgrims, and transit passengers, began gathering at the airport, with many of them left waiting for hours with limited clarity on next steps.&nbsp;Airport authorities said Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai, and Qatar were among the locations affected by temporary airspace restrictions, leading to cancellations, delays, and rescheduling. They instructed airlines to notify passengers in advance via SMS, email, and call centers, ensure staff presence at the terminal, and provide coordinated updates to reduce hardship.&nbsp; Passengers were advised to contact airlines or travel agents to confirm flight status before coming to the airport, with Bangladesh&rsquo;s civil aviation regulator issuing similar guidance, the report said.&nbsp;Bangladeshi carriers Biman Bangladesh Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines suspended Middle East-bound flights, with airline officials urging passengers not to travel to the airport without prior confirmation and providing hotline details for updates, Bangladeshi media added.&nbsp;The disruption is expected to ripple beyond Gulf routes: airport officials noted that some long-haul flights from Dhaka, such as to London and Toronto, often pass through Middle Eastern airspace and may need rerouting, potentially increasing flight time and operating costs.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Bangladesh missions in several Gulf states issued safety advisories to expatriates, while the expatriates&rsquo; welfare ministry said stranded travellers would be assisted with overnight accommodation at the airport.

Bangladesh

Chaos at Dhaka’s airport followed after multiple airlines halted or disrupted Middle East flights due to regional airspace restrictions, leaving passengers stranded and prompting advisories, hotline updates, and rerouting concerns

Middle East airspace disruption strands passengers at Dhaka airport

UNITED NATIONS: The United States and Israel on Saturday defended their attacks on Iran, which called the resulting civilian deaths a &quot;war crime&quot; during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.&nbsp;&quot;The international community has long affirmed a simple and necessary principle: <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-agreed-not-to-stockpile-enriched-uranium-mediator-oman" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon</a>,&quot; said US ambassador Mike Waltz, pointing to past UN resolutions ignored by Tehran.&nbsp;&quot;That principle is not a matter of politics, it&#39;s a matter of global security, and to that end, the United States is taking lawful actions,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Referencing Iran&#39;s recent deadly crackdowns on protesters, Waltz said that Iran&#39;s presence at Saturday&#39;s emergency meeting in New York &quot;makes a mockery of this body.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;But where the UN lacks moral clarity, the United States of America will maintain it,&quot; he added.&nbsp;Israeli ambassador Danny Danon condemned the &quot;hypocrisy&quot; of some Security Council members who criticized the joint US-Israeli attack, but not the retaliation by Iran.&nbsp;&quot;We did not act of impulse. We did not act of aggression. We acted out of necessity because the Iranian regime left no reasonable alternative,&quot; Danon said.&nbsp;Iranian counterpart Amir Saeid Iravani denounced the &quot;war crime&quot; of civilian deaths, notably of more than 100 children at Minab School in southern Iran.&nbsp;&quot;It is regrettable that some members of this body, in a blatant double standard, disregard the flagrant act of aggression committed by the US and Israel on Iran, and condemn Iran for using its inherent right to self-defense in the UN Charter,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Iravani notably did not comment on or confirm the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which US President Donald Trump announced moments before the meeting.&nbsp;The mixed views highlighted a divided Security Council.&nbsp;Russia and China only condemned the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-supreme-leader-ali-khamenei-dies-in-israeli-strike-officials-say" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US-Israeli strikes</a>, while others principally targeted Iran. Some were more careful to simply call for deescalation.&nbsp;Gulf states condemned Iran&#39;s strikes against them as &quot;cowardly&quot; in a joint statement read by Bahrain&#39;s ambassador.&nbsp;&quot;We hold the government of Iran fully responsible for these attacks, and we reject any justifications or explanations to justify this hostile behavior or to manipulate rules of international law,&quot; said Jamal Fares Alrowaiei on behalf of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria and Jordan.&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that military action in the Middle East risked triggering uncontrollable consequences in the region.&nbsp;&quot;Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world,&quot; he told the Security Council.

Americas

US, Israel defend strikes at UN as Iran alleges 'war crime'

ISLAMABAD: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who dominated Iran&rsquo;s political system for more than four decades and stood at the center of the Islamic Republic&rsquo;s military, ideological and security architecture, has died in US-Israeli strikes, according to the Iranian state media. Khamenei, a cleric elevated to the post of supreme leader in 1989, emerged as one of the most powerful figures in the Middle East, shaping Iran&rsquo;s domestic governance and regional posture through a tightly centralized system rooted in clerical authority and revolutionary ideology.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027922741056139367&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4491%2F&sessionId=724d89f71f666c7d6b234e543b1138317566140d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Iran&rsquo;s official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported that the country has declared 40 days of public mourning following the death of Khamenei. Born in Mashhad, Khamenei rose to prominence during the 1979 Islamic Revolution as a close associate of revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini and a member of the Revolutionary Council. He served two terms as president from 1981 to 1989 before being elevated to supreme leader despite lacking the traditional clerical credentials usually associated with the role. Central to his legacy was the expansion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which he transformed into a dominant military, political and economic force. Under his leadership, the IRGC became a key instrument of internal control and Iran&rsquo;s primary vehicle for projecting power across the Middle East. In late 2025, Iran faced widespread protests fueled by economic hardship and political frustration, with demonstrators openly challenging Khamenei&rsquo;s authority. Some chants called for the restoration of the monarchy, invoking the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1979. A historical echo that underscored the depth of public discontent. Within Iran&rsquo;s Shiʿite establishment, Khamenei was commonly addressed as ayatollah, an honorific shared by many senior clerics, though his formal constitutional title was rahbar, &ldquo;supreme leader.&rdquo; From that position, he exercised final say over the military, judiciary, state media and key economic bodies. Details surrounding funeral arrangements and succession procedures are expected to be announced by Iranian authorities. The Assembly of Experts, constitutionally tasked with appointing a new supreme leader, is likely to convene in the coming days.

Tehran’s official Fars and Tasnim news agencies report that the country has declared 40 days of public mourning following the death of Khamenei.


Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dies in US-Israeli strikes: State media

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad addressed the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-security-council-to-hold-emergency-meeting-on-iran-after-usisrael-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Security Council</a> on Saturday, strongly condemning recent military attacks in the Middle East and urging an immediate return to diplomacy to prevent further destabilization. &ldquo;I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his sobering presentation and assessment of the unfolding situation in the Middle East,&rdquo; Ahmad said. &ldquo;We concur with his view that there is no viable alternative to a peaceful settlement.&rdquo; Highlighting the timing of the attacks, Ahmad criticized strikes against Iran as &ldquo;unwarranted&rdquo; and noted they occurred while <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-agreed-not-to-stockpile-enriched-uranium-mediator-oman" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">renewed diplomatic efforts </a>were underway. &ldquo;Such a course of action will undermine the peace and stability of the entire region with far-reaching consequences,&rdquo; he said. The ambassador also condemned retaliatory and concurrent attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, emphasizing Pakistan&rsquo;s solidarity with these countries. He called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, warning that &ldquo;these unprovoked attacks&hellip;constitute blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states.&rdquo; Addressing civilian casualties, Ahmad expressed condolences, including for a Pakistani national killed in the UAE, and lamented the loss of schoolchildren in Iran and other civilians affected by the violence. &ldquo;We urge all sides to refrain from any further actions that may undermine the security and territorial integrity of other regional countries,&rdquo; he said. He praised Oman for its efforts in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran, noting that the recent strikes &ldquo;derailed diplomacy&rdquo; and further eroded trust at a critical moment. Citing the UN Charter, Ahmad stressed the inviolability of international law. &ldquo;The Charter prohibits threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of states. Pakistan reiterates the call for full respect for international law, including the UN Charter, as well as international humanitarian law,&rdquo; he said. Pakistan&rsquo;s envoy concluded by expressing alarm over the risk of a broader regional conflict and emphasizing the protection of millions of civilians. &ldquo;The safety and well-being of our compatriots in the region remains a top priority,&rdquo; Ahmad said.

Foreign Affairs

Ahmad criticized strikes against Iran as 'unwarranted' and noted they occurred while renewed diplomatic efforts were underway. 

At UNSC, Pakistan condemns regional attacks, calls for diplomacy

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is holding an emergency session after the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, which has drawn widespread backlash. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the heads of UN agencies have condemned Saturday&rsquo;s joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and the Persian Gulf Regions, state-run APP reported on Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;I condemn today&rsquo;s military escalation in the Middle East,&rdquo; the UN chief said in a statement as French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address the strikes, which have targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. The meeting will take place at 4 PM (local time, 2 a.m. PST Sunday).&nbsp;In his statement, Guterres, the UN chief, declared that the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/world-warns-against-mideast-war-as-us-israel-strike-iran" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military escalation in the region</a> undermines international peace and security, and recalled that all Member States must &ldquo;respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations,&rdquo; which prohibits &ldquo;the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.&rdquo;&nbsp;He called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation and warned that a failure to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.&nbsp;Senior officials added their own responses on Saturday morning: Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that bombs and missiles are not the way to resolve differences but &ldquo;only result in death, destruction and human misery.&rdquo; Civilians, he noted, &ldquo;end up paying the ultimate price.&rdquo;&nbsp;Turk called for all parties to return to negotiations to avoid a wider conflict that would mean further <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/israeli-strikes-hit-school-in-southern-iran-kill-40-students" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">civilian deaths</a> and &ldquo;destruction on a potentially unimaginable scale, not just in Iran but across the Middle East region.&rdquo;&nbsp;World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement that he was deeply troubled by the situation and urged leaders to &ldquo;choose the challenging path of dialogue over the senseless route of destruction.&rdquo;

Europe

Security Council is set to meet Saturday afternoon, as requested by France, Bahrain, China, Russia, and Colombia.


UN Security Council holds emergency meeting on Iran after US-Israel strikes

KANDY: New Zealand qualified for the T20 World Cup semi-finals after Sri Lanka avoided a big defeat against Pakistan on Saturday in Kandy.&nbsp;Pakistan, who needed to win by 65 runs in their final Super Eights match to pip New Zealand on net run rate, won by only five after scoring 212-8 with Sri Lanka just falling short on 207-6.&nbsp;Sahibzada Farhan hit a 60-ball century for Pakistan, his second of the tournament, to take his side to their highest total in any T20 World Cup.&nbsp;Pakistan needed to keep Sri Lanka down to 147 or fewer, but Pavan Rathnayake hit 58 and captain Dasun Shanaka struck an unbeaten 76 off just 31 balls to snuff out Pakistan hopes.&nbsp;After a thrilling chase, Sri Lanka needed six off the last ball but Shanaka failed to connect after hitting three of his eight sixes in the final over.&nbsp;The result puts New Zealand through to a likely meeting with South Africa in Kolkata on Wednesday for a place in the final.&nbsp;Spinner Abrar Ahmed was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers with 3-23 in his four overs.&nbsp;After Pakistan were asked to bat first, Farhan followed his group-stage century against Namibia with another ton to become the first player to score two hundreds in the same T20 World Cup.&nbsp;Fellow opener Fakhar Zaman cracked 84 off 42 balls.&nbsp;Farhan scored five sixes and nine fours as he took his aggregate for the tournament to 383 runs, a T20 World Cup record, passing India&#39;s Virat Kohli&#39;s 319 in 2014.&nbsp;Farhan and Zaman put on an opening stand of 176 in 15.5 overs. Zaman hit four sixes and nine fours.&nbsp;Farhan pushed Shanaka for a single to complete his century off 59 balls before being dismissed by Dilshan Madushanka in the final over.&nbsp;Madushanka was the best Sri Lankan bowler with 3-33.&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s previous highest at a T20 World cup was the 201-5 they made against Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2016.

Cricket

New Zealand reaches the T20 World Cup semifinals after Pakistan’s five-run win over Sri Lanka in Kandy proved insufficient. Sahibzada Farhan’s century lifted Pakistan to 212-8, but Sri Lanka’s strong chase denied the required big-margin victory.

Pakistan knocked out of T20 World Cup despite win over Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ordered the evacuation of its nationals from Iran following US and Israeli strikes on Tehran and retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, while strongly condemning the escalation and calling for diplomacy to restore regional stability.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level security review on Saturday, directing all federal and provincial institutions to implement comprehensive measures to safeguard national security.&nbsp;He instructed the Foreign Office to coordinate with the Azerbaijani government to ensure the safe return of Pakistani citizens in Iran via Azerbaijan.&nbsp;PM Sharif said the armed forces, under Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are fully prepared to defend Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity.&nbsp;In separate calls with Gulf leaders, the prime minister expressed Pakistan&rsquo;s solidarity and condolences over casualties.&nbsp;Speaking with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, he said, &ldquo;Spoke with my dear brother HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this evening to express Pakistan&rsquo;s strong condemnation of the dangerous regional escalation following the Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent attacks in the Gulf region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Sharif also spoke with Qatar&rsquo;s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, strongly condemning attacks on their countries and assuring them of Pakistan&rsquo;s full support.&nbsp;He expressed sorrow over the death of a Pakistani national in the UAE missile strike and vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Gulf nations amid the crisis.&nbsp;Earlier, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over the breakdown of diplomatic talks and condemned &ldquo;unwarranted attacks&rdquo; against Iran, highlighting that such hostilities threaten the peace and stability of the entire region.&nbsp;The Foreign Office also condemned Iranian retaliatory strikes on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, calling them &ldquo;blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states.&rdquo;&nbsp;Pakistan has issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran. Those currently in the country are advised to minimize movement, remain in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions, and use contact numbers provided by the Embassy in Tehran and consulates in Zahidan and Mashhad.&nbsp;Officials stressed the urgent need for all parties to uphold international law and resume diplomacy to achieve a negotiated, peaceful resolution and prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level security review: Directing all federal and provincial institutions to implement comprehensive measures to safeguard national security

PM Sharif orders evacuation of Pakistani nationals from Iran amid Middle East crisis

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan strongly condemned the escalating violence in the Middle East on Saturday, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent attacks across Gulf countries, emphasizing the urgent need for diplomacy and regional stability, according to official statements.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, saying, &ldquo;Spoke with my dear brother HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this evening to express Pakistan&rsquo;s strong condemnation of the dangerous regional escalation following the Israeli attack on Iran and subsequent attacks in the Gulf region.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027756179066392803&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=9543b1882a24efc166071ff1a387a651168967ef&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp; He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to support Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, adding, &ldquo;We remain ready to play a constructive role for peace and pray that the blessings of Ramadan bring calm and stability to our region.&rdquo;&nbsp;Earlier, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office expressed regret over the breakdown of diplomatic talks and the outbreak of hostilities. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 850px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027769233443328272&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=9543b1882a24efc166071ff1a387a651168967ef&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The spokesperson said, &ldquo;Pakistan condemns the unwarranted attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran. These attacks come at a time when diplomatic efforts were underway to reach a peaceful and negotiated solution. Such a course of action will undermine the peace and stability of the entire region, with far-reaching consequences.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement also condemned Iranian retaliatory attacks on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, calling them &ldquo;blatant violations of the sovereignty of the brotherly Gulf states&rdquo; and highlighting the death of a Pakistani national in the UAE missile strike.&nbsp;The Foreign Office urged all sides to refrain from actions that could further escalate the crisis.&nbsp;PM Sharif also held separate telephone conversations with Qatar&rsquo;s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.&nbsp;During the calls, he strongly condemned the regional escalation and expressed Pakistan&rsquo;s full solidarity with the Gulf nations. Referring to attacks on Qatar and the UAE, he expressed condolences over the death of a Pakistani national and assured both countries that Pakistan would continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with their leadership and people amid the crisis.&nbsp;In response to the evolving situation, Islamabad issued a travel advisory urging citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran. Nationals currently in Iran are advised to remain cautious, limit movement, and stay in regular contact with Pakistani diplomatic missions.&nbsp;The Embassy in Tehran and consulates in Zahidan and Mashhad have provided landline and mobile numbers for assistance.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s statements underline the country&rsquo;s call for all parties to respect international law and uphold the principles of the UN Charter. Officials emphasized the urgent need to resume diplomatic efforts and pursue a negotiated, peaceful resolution to prevent further destabilization across the region.

In telephone conversations with Saudi Crown Prince, UAE President, and Qatar Emir, Pakistan’s Prime Minister condemns Israeli strikes on Iran, expresses solidarity with Gulf states, urges diplomacy, calls for restraint and issues travel advisory for Pakistani nationals

Pakistan PM condemns attacks on Iran, urges peace across Middle East

ISTANBUL: Two Turkish journalists were arrested Saturday for filming near a sensitive airbase in southern Turkey that hosts US troops in live footage taken for Anka news agency, the Turkish outlet said. &quot;Two journalists were detained... as part of an investigation launched by the Adana chief public prosecutor&rsquo;s office regarding ANKA News Agency&rsquo;s broadcast from the vicinity of Incirlik air base,&quot; it said. The arrests came following Israeli and US strikes on Iran, which retaliated with missile barrages against Gulf states hosting US bases and against Israel.

People hold placards during a protest against the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, in Parliament Square in central London, on February 28, 2026. (AFP)

Two reporters arrested in Adana during live coverage near Incirlik base amid escalating regional tensions.

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