ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s envoy at the United Nations this week condemned attacks against Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states amid rising tensions in the Middle East after Israeli and US strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks, calling on all sides to immediately halt escalation.
Tensions surged across the Middle East on Saturday after Israel said it launched a “pre-emptive” attack against Iran, dimming hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran’s long-running nuclear dispute with the West. US President Donald Trump later confirmed in a video statement that the US had also taken part in the strikes.
Iran subsequently targeted American military bases in Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan, prompting regional governments to issue condemnations. Saudi Arabia also confirmed Iran launched attacks in Riyadh and the Eastern Province, saying they were successfully intercepted.
During a UN Security Council briefing on Saturday, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad condemned the “initiation of unwarranted attacks” against Iran, describing them as a violation of international law.
“Pakistan also condemns the attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and stands in solidarity with all these brotherly countries and underscores the need to exercise maximum restraint,” Ahmad said.
Ahmad said the attack was unfortunate, noting that several Arab countries were supporting Iran’s dialogue with the US on its nuclear program.
The Pakistani envoy also condemned the death of a Pakistani national in the UAE caused by Iran’s attack on Saturday.
He said Islamabad is “deeply alarmed” at surging regional tensions, adding that the safety and well-being of millions of Pakistani nationals in the Gulf region was also Islamabad’s “top priority.”
“Diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for achieving negotiated settlement of all contentious issues in accordance with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of the parties concerned,” he said.
“Pakistan calls on all sides to immediately halt escalation, and urgently resume diplomacy with a view to achieving a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis.”
Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the US, further raising regional tensions.
State media reported that the 86-year-old was killed in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran. Satellite photos from Airbus showed the site heavily bombed.
Iran’s Ali Shamkhani, top adviser to the supreme leader, and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour have also been killed, IRNA reported.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard also warned of “a severe, decisive and regret-inducing punishment” coming over Khamenei’s killing.
