Pakistan strongly condemns 'unwarranted attacks' on Iran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned the “unwarranted attacks” on Iran, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in an official statement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Saturday received a call from the Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi. The two leaders reviewed the evolving situation in Iran and the wider region.

During the conversation, Ishaq Dar strongly condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to escalation. He emphasised the urgent need to resume diplomatic engagement to achieve a peaceful and negotiated resolution to the crisis.

The US and Israel have launched a major combat attack on Iran, the Israeli defence minister said on Saturday. Iran has responded swiftly and has targeted key Israeli cities with a barrage of Ballistic missiles.

In light of the situation, Pakistan has advised its nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Iran following recent Israeli missile strikes.

The Foreign Office Spokesperson, in a press statement on Saturday, said that Pakistani nationals currently residing in Iran must exercise caution, remain vigilant, minimize non-essential travel, and stay in regular contact with the Pakistani Missions.

Meanwhile, the UK government expressed the fear Saturday that the military strikes pitting the United States and Israel against Iran could blow up into a broader Middle East conflict.

“We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,” a government spokesperson said.

They said that the UK’s “immediate priority” was the safety of its citizens in the region.

The spokesperson also said that the UK has “a range of defensive capabilities in the region, which we have recently bolstered. We stand ready to protect our interests.”

A government source noted, however, that Britain was not involved in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday.