Pakistan expresses 'deep concern' over Middle East escalation, urges all sides to exercise restraint

Pakistan on Sunday expressed its “deep concern” over the ongoing escalation in the Middle East and urged all sides to exercise restraint after the United States and Iran traded fresh strikes, with Gulf countries also coming under attack.

In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said Pakistan was “following with deep concern the recent incidents that are further escalating the regional tensions”.

“Pakistan reiterates its strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all brotherly countries in the region, and urges all sides to exercise restraint, take immediate steps towards de-escalation, and uphold respective commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),” the statement read.

“On its part, Pakistan remains committed to providing all support towards achieving lasting peace and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy,” it affirmed.

The FO statement comes in the backdrop of fresh US strikes on Iran after the latter struck a container ship, while Tehran said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz and escalated attacks on US facilities across the Gulf.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had destroyed a command-and-control centre and drone hangars in US ally Jordan, targeted a US radar site in Kuwait, attacked US aircraft carrier support and refuelling platforms in Oman, and destroyed a jet maintenance centre and command facility in ​Qatar.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephone call with Iran’s FM Abbas Araghchi and discussed the evolving regional situation.

Dar stressed “upon the parties to follow the path of de-escalation and show restraint, as agreed in the Islamabad MoU”, FO said.

He emphasised that dialogue and diplomacy were the “only viable path to resolving disputes and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region”.

“DPM/FM reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to continue playing a constructive role in promoting and maintaining regional peace and stability. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact,” FO added.

Pakistan has been leading the peace efforts since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, setting off a war and global fuel crisis as Tehran took measures to disrupt traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — a vital maritime corridor for the supply of oil and gas.

The Pakistan-mediated Islamabad MoU — a 14-point interim peace deal aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz — was signed between the US and Iran on June 18.

However, the latest barrage has marked a sharp escalation in pace and range, with attacks extending to Qatar, a mediator in ceasefire talks that had not come under attack since April.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which had not been targeted since early May, was also hit.

The signing of the MoU last month had raised hopes of some relief as the world reeled from the fuel crunch and the economic impact of Hormuz’s closure.

However, a series of attacks between the US and Iran over the past several days led President Donald Trump to consider that the ceasefire was “over”, though he has left the door open for talks. ...