ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar urged all parties to abide by the ceasefire agreement on Sunday, as tensions between the United States and Iran surged this week after both sides exchanged fresh attacks in the Middle East.
Dar spoke to Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, separately, to discuss regional developments on Sunday, the foreign office said.
The conversations took place as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Sunday its navy and aerospace forces had launched a joint missile and drone operation targeting US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The attack came hours after US forces struck multiple Iranian military targets on Saturday, saying the move was in retaliation for what Washington said were attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz trade route.
“DPM/FM emphasized the necessity for all parties to abide by the ceasefire agreement,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
It said Kallas expressed “serious concerns” at the recent ceasefire violations between Iran and the US, stressing that channels of communication must remain open between both sides.
Dar informed Kallas about Pakistan’s continued diplomatic efforts toward a comprehensive framework for peace and stability in the Middle East.
Earlier, the Pakistani deputy PM spoke to Al Zayani. Both discussed the latest evolving regional situation following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the foreign office said.
“DPM/FM thanked Dr. Al Zayani for his kind sentiments and reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to promote dialogue and diplomacy for achieving peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the foreign office said.
The Islamabad MoU is an initial framework for peace that the US and Iran both signed electronically this month. Both sides then held technical-level talks on outstanding issues related to Iran’s nuclear enrichment and sanctions in Switzerland last week.
Dar also spoke to Britain’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Saturday, reiterating Islamabad’s resolve to promote dialogue and diplomacy between the US and Iran.
Pakistan has mediated between both nations since their conflict erupted in February this year after the US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran.
Apart from holding direct peace talks between the two countries in April, Pakistan brokered a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran in April and also relayed messages and peace proposals between the countries.
Pakistani officials, along with their Qatari counterparts, remain part of the mediation process as the US-Iran negotiations continue.
