Islamabad: Pakistan is playing the role of a “bridge builder” during the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing, Andrabi said Pakistan had maintained open channels of communication with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries in an effort to help reduce regional tensions.
The conflict escalated after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Tehran on February 28, resulting in the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched retaliatory attacks targeting US military bases and assets in Gulf countries. The situation prompted the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution addressing the crisis on Wednesday.
Pakistan has repeatedly called for restraint and diplomatic engagement. In recent days, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar have held telephone conversations with several international leaders to discuss the evolving situation.
When asked whether Islamabad was facilitating communication between Tehran and other regional capitals, Andrabi said there had been regular exchanges with Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. He emphasized that Pakistan’s stance on sovereignty, international law, and the United Nations Charter, along with its support for dialogue and diplomacy, is respected across the region.
“Our position enables us to maintain channels of communication between relevant capitals,” he said.
Andrabi added that Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement with the United States was also ongoing at multiple levels. He noted that the foreign secretary had spoken with a senior official from the United States Department of State, while Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, D.C. and the US embassy in Islamabad remained in regular contact.
He further revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday, during which the two leaders exchanged greetings on the occasion of Ramadan.
During the conversation, the prime minister offered condolences over the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and congratulated Iran on the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, expressing hope that Iran would achieve peace, stability, and prosperity in the coming years.
