ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s United Nations (UN) envoy on Thursday warned that the Middle East stands at a “perilous crossroads” and urged an immediate ceasefire, amid rising tensions and attacks on critical infrastructure in the region.
The development came as US President Donald Trump threatened to strike bridges and electric power plants in Iran, warning the US-Israeli war could escalate if Iran did not give in to Washington’s terms.
Iran’s Fars News Agency said that several prominent bridges in regional countries could be possible targets after two strikes hit the B1 bridge early Thursday. The list included bridges in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan and Kuwait.
“The broader region stands at a perilous crossroads following the strikes on Iran. Our brothers, Gulf members of the Arab League are facing direct attacks on their soil, totally unacceptable, while grappling with challenges posed by restricted navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. With these tensions comes the growing risk of a wider escalation, with potentially far-reaching consequences,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, told a Security Council briefing.
“Against this already dire backdrop, further escalation must be avoided at all cost. The immediate priority must be complete cessation of all hostilities and return to dialogue for peaceful resolution of all issues.”
Since the beginning of the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, Pakistan has actively engaged with regional and world powers on preventing the conflict from escalating further.
The conflicts ongoing in various regions of the world, violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, disregard for international humanitarian law, and attacks on critical infrastructure threaten both regional and global stability, according to Ahmad.
These developments underscore the urgent need for strengthened cooperation, preventive diplomacy and collective security mechanisms.
“The path to lasting peace lies in dialogue, cooperation, and respect for international law and the UN Charter,” he said. “Together with other partners, Pakistan is actively engaged in promoting this objective.”
