ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in Islamabad late Thursday to hold “delegation level” talks with Pakistani leaders in the backdrop of ongoing tensions between Tehran and the United States, the foreign office said on Friday.
Relations between Iran and Pakistan have been strained in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of not doing enough to stamp out militants allegedly sheltering across the border.
“During delegation level talks, Iran will discuss issues of mutual interest, regional security and others,” the foreign office said in a statement, adding that Zarif was greeted upon his arrival in Pakistan by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
This is Zarif’s third visit to Islamabad since becoming foreign policy head of Iran. He is expected to hold talks with Foreign Minister Qureshi in Pakistan, followed by meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and and Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, the foreign office told Arab News.
In comments to media at a briefing on Thursday, foreign office spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Faisal said Pakistan was “concerned over the grave situation prevailing in the Arabian Gulf and during talks with his Iranian counterpart, the foreign minister will have a detailed discussion on it.”
“Pakistan always supports dialogue and desires that all issues should be settled peacefully and through engagement by all sides,” Faisal said. “If required, Pakistan is ready to play a constructive and positive role in this regard.”
The United States pulled out of an agreement between Iran and world powers a year ago that limited Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting economic sanctions.
This month tensions have risen sharply following US President Donald Trump’s decision to try to cut Iran’s oil exports to zero and beef up US military presence in the Gulf in response to what he says are Iranian threats.
Pakistan has described the mounting tensions as “disturbing” and asked all sides to show restraint.
“Any miscalculation can lead to a large scale conflict in the region,”the foreign office spokesman said at a press briefing last week.
During Khan’s trip to Iran in April, the two sides announced they would form a joint quick reaction force to combat militant activity on their shared border.
A new umbrella group representing various insurgent groups operating in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province claimed responsibility for an attack in April when 14 passengers were killed after being kidnapped from buses in the province, which borders Iran.
Tehran has also stepped up security along its long border with Pakistan after a suicide bomber killed 27 members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards in mid-February in southeastern Iran, with Iranian officials saying the attackers were based inside Pakistan. Pakistan denies the accusation.
Earlier this month, Pakistan said it had started fencing certain areas along the 950km shared Pakistan-Iran border.
Relations are also tense over a $7 billion Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. Pakistan says it has recently informed Iran in writing that it cannot execute the project as long as Tehran is under a United States sanctions regime, driving the final nail in the coffin of a project that was conceived in the 1990s to connect Iran’s giant South Pars gas field to India via Pakistan.
Tehran formally issued a notice to Islamabad in February this year, saying it was moving an arbitration court against Pakistan for failing to lay down the pipeline in Pakistani territory in the timeframe stipulated in the bilateral agreement. Pakistan has until August this year to legally respond to Iran’s notice and settle the issue through negotiations.
Iranian foreign minister in Pakistan amid rising tensions with US
Iranian foreign minister in Pakistan amid rising tensions with US
- “Will discuss issues of mutual interest, regional security and others,” Pakistani foreign office says
- Pakistan concerned over “grave” situation unfolding in Arabian Gulf, ready to play mediatory role
Pakistan awaits mandate clarity before committing troops to Gaza stabilization force, FO says
- Foreign office says Islamabad cannot commit to contributing troops unless it obtains clarity on the force’s mandate
- Says Pakistan can be part of peacekeeping force but not of any disarming or de-militarization mandates
ISLAMABAD: Foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Pakistan has identified its “red lines” on contributing to the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, adding that Islamabad would be unable to take a decision on the matter without clarity about the force’s mandate.
Andrabi’s comments come as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gears up to attend the inaugural Board of Peace meeting to be chaired by US President Donald Trump in Washington today, Thursday.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza calls for a multi-nation force to oversee a transition period for reconstruction and economic recovery in the Palestinian territory. Pakistan has previously said it is willing to contribute troops for the peace force but would not be part of any move to disarm Hamas.
“On the international security assistance force, we understand that a decision is awaited on the contours of the mandate of the Board of Peace, on the mandate of the International Stabilization Force,” Andrabi said during a weekly briefing to reporters.
“And till such time, we would obviously not be in a position to take any decision on this matter. We have identified our red lines quite explicitly.”
Andrabi quoted a previous statement of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar by saying: “Pakistan can be part of the peacekeeping mandate, but we would obviously not be part of any disarming, de-militarization mandates.”
He said discussion on the international force might take place in Washington today.
The foreign office spokesperson said Pakistan has joined the Board of Peace with a particular focus of aiding in the reconstruction of Gaza and for the long-term settlement of issues faced by Palestinians.
Andrabi said Israel’s recent move to register lands in the West Bank will also come up in the Board of Peace meeting today.
“That is how Israel is violating international law, UN resolutions on wider occupied Palestinian territories, not just Gaza,” he said.
“So, I think the board of peace meeting affords an opportunity to discuss this important development.”
SAUDI MEDIATION FOR PAKISTANI DETAINEES
To a question about the release of three Pakistani detainees by Afghanistan this week on Saudi Arabia’s mediation, Andrabi welcomed the role played by the Kingdom and “other brotherly Muslim countries.”
Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Tuesday that it had released three Pakistani soldiers captured during border clashes between the two countries in October after mediation from Saudi Arabia. Mujahid said the detainees were handed over to a visiting Saudi delegation in Kabul.
“Pakistan values the positive role of our brotherly countries, our important OIC Islamic countries, in basically messaging Taliban leadership, reminding them of their obligations under international law, to ensure that their territory is not used for terrorism in Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.
“I think such an exchange also took place between Riyadh and Kabul.”
However, he said Saudi Arabia was not part of any “structured mediation talks” between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“I am not aware of that role and I would strongly urge you not to speculate into it,” he said.
To a question about Pakistan’s response if India violates the Indus Waters Treaty, Andrabi said Islamabad will not compromise on its water rights.
“We will not let India weaponize water. We will not compromise on even a single drop of water that this treaty allows us to have a share of, and we will not compromise on the water rights of the people of Pakistan,” he added.
