ISLAMABAD: Pakistan demanded on Tuesday that diplomacy be given a chance in addressing all issues related to Iran’s nuclear program, warning the United Nations Security Council that sanctions would hurt ordinary Iranians, as tensions remain heightened following this year’s war between Israel and Iran.

Pakistan’s comments came amid renewed debate at the Security Council over Iran’s nuclear program and the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which sought to limit Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

The conflict in June was dubbed the Twelve-Day War and erupted after Israel carried out a surprise attack on Iranian military and nuclear facilities while international diplomacy was still underway. The strikes derailed negotiations, with the United States later bombing Iranian nuclear sites and declaring that the attacks had substantially degraded Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Addressing the Security Council, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative Ambassador Usman Jadoon said Islamabad believed that “diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for the resolution of all outstanding issues concerning Iran’s nuclear program in accordance with the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the parties concerned.”

“Coercive measures would not help in bringing the parties closer and only exacerbate the trust deficit,” he said. “Sanctions directly hurt ordinary people the most, impact trade, affect economic development and diminish the prospects of regional connectivity.”

Jadoon said the council last met on the issue in September following developments related to the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism — a provision that allows the automatic re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran in cases of alleged non-compliance — adding that Pakistan opposed what it viewed as a rushed move and cautioned against hasty action.

He said Pakistan’s stance was grounded in the belief that disputes over Iran’s nuclear program should be resolved through dialogue, with more time allowed for diplomacy to succeed, while preserving the JCPOA framework until a successor arrangement is reached.

The ambassador said divisions within the council had widened in recent months, further complicating efforts to resolve the issue.

While acknowledging that the JCPOA was not implemented as intended, Jadoon said the agreement had nonetheless provided an essential framework rooted in international law and mutual respect, and could still prove useful if there was a shared willingness to move forward in a spirit of compromise.

He stressed the need to revive the agreement’s underlying principles and restore trust in diplomatic engagement that had been damaged in recent months, urging all parties to avoid confrontation and work toward a solution-oriented approach.