ISLAMABAD: The United States (US) condemned recent Iranian airstrikes in Pakistan, Iraq and Syria, the State Department said on Wednesday, hoping that Islamabad and Tehran would resolve the issue peacefully.
The statement came a day after Pakistan said Iran had violated its airspace and attacked a border village, killing two children and injured three women. The raid occurred late Tuesday after similar attacks in Iraq and Syria.
Iranian news agency Mehr News said the “missile and drone” attack targeted the Pakistan headquarters of Jaish Al-Adl, a group formed in 2012 and blacklisted by Iran as a “terrorist group.”
Speaking at a press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller condemned the Iranian strikes and said Washington wanted to see peace and stability maintained in the region.
“We do condemn those strikes. We’ve seen Iran violate the sovereign borders of three of its neighbors in just the past couple days,” Miller told reporters in Washington.
“Certainly, we always want to see peace and stability maintained, especially in this region, where it’s been the focus of our diplomatic efforts since October 7th.”
Following the Iranian strike, Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Iran and blocked Tehran’s envoy from returning to Islamabad.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesperson for the Pakistani foreign ministry, called the attack near the country’s border “unprovoked” and a breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Asked about possible retaliation by Pakistan, the US State Department spokesman said he hoped for a peaceful resolution of the issue.
In recent years, Jaish Al-Adl has carried out several attacks on Iranian soil.
Iran said the other missile attacks targeted “spy headquarters” and “terrorist” targets in Syria and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
The strikes come as the Middle East has been rocked by Israel’s war on Gaza since Oct 7 and attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea.
“I think it is a little rich for at one – on one hand, Iran to be the leading funder of terrorism in the region, the leading funder of instability in the region; and on the other hand, claim that it needs to take this action – these actions to counter terrorism,” Miller added.
US condemns Iranian strikes on Pakistan, Iraq and Syria — State Department
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US condemns Iranian strikes on Pakistan, Iraq and Syria — State Department
- Iran this week targeted alleged militant bases in Pakistan that Islamabad says killed two children, injured three women
- Tensions have since soared and Pakistan has recalled its ambassador from Iran, blocked Tehran’s envoy from returning
Pakistan engages Saudi Arabia, China in bid to ease surging Middle East tensions
- Pakistan’s foreign minister stresses need for de-escalation in conversations with Chinese, Saudi counterparts
- Tensions in the Middle East continue to remain high as conflict between US, Israel and Iran intensifies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and China on Tuesday, stressing the importance of diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as the Iran war intensifies.
Pakistan has constantly engaged regional countries in efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Middle East, after the US and Isreal launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
Iran launched fresh attacks on Gulf countries on Tuesday morning, where it has targeted US military bases in recent weeks. In addition to firing missiles and drones at Israel and American bases in the region, Iran has also been targeting energy infrastructure which, combined with its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices soaring worldwide.
Dar spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss developments in the Middle East and ongoing deliberations at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
“DPM/FM shared Pakistan’s perspective, underscoring the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement to support de-escalation and promote peace and stability across the region and beyond,” the statement said.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi over the telephone separately. The two discussed the evolving regional situation and broader global developments.
Dar underscored the need to ease tensions in the Middle East and the wider region during the conversation, the foreign office said.
Yi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and stability in the region, it added.
“The two leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation and emphasized the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,” the foreign office’s statement said.
The conflict in the Middle East has hit Pakistan hard as well, forcing Islamabad to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per liter last Friday.
Pakistan’s government has also announced a set of austerity measures, which include closing schools and cutting down on government expenditures, as it evaluates petrol stocks and looks for alternative supply routes.
