ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday urged global powers to broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar prepares to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The meeting in Turkiye from June 21-22 is expected to focus on coordinated diplomatic steps to de-escalate the Iran-Israel standoff and address the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran on Wednesday after Israeli warplanes bombed the city overnight and the air fight between the two Middle Eastern powers entered the sixth day amid media reports US President Donald Trump was considering options that include joining Israel in attacking Iranian nuclear sites.
“I feel that ... global countries should try hard for a ceasefire,” Sharif told a federal cabinet meeting, calling the escalation “regrettable” and condemning what he described as Israel’s aggression against Pakistan’s neighboring “brotherly” country of Iran.
Iran launched retaliatory strikes last week after Israeli forces attacked sites linked to Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13. Iranian officials say at least 224 people, mostly civilians, have been killed, while Israel has reported over 20 deaths.
The latest escalation follows months of hostilities between Israel and Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, which intensified after the war in Gaza was launched late in 2023. Regional powers fear a direct confrontation could spiral into a broader conflict involving major oil shipping lanes and global energy supplies.
For Pakistan, a close Iranian neighbor and a longtime opponent of Israel, a prolonged conflict risks disrupting border security, inflaming sectarian tensions at home, and possibly putting it in a tight spot with other Arab allies and the West.
Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has historically aligned itself with the Palestinian cause of an independent state.
