By Shakir Husain
HYDERABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, on Friday urged restraint and diplomatic engagement in a telephone call with Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, following an escalation in military tensions between the United States (US) and Iran.
Shehbaz underscored “the urgent need to restore regional peace and stability” and called for adherence to the peace deal signed by the US and Iran on June 17 with Pakistan’s mediation.
“He called on Iran and all other parties to exercise restraint and refrain from any action that could jeopardise the hard-earned peace gains achieved over the past few months,” according to a Pakistan government statement.
Seventeen Iranians were killed and 115 injured in attacks by the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) on six cities across Iran on Tuesday and Wednesday, while Iran carried out drone and missile strikes on US-linked targets in the region.
“The Prime Minister stressed the importance of upholding the commitments undertaken under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), describing it as an enduring framework for promoting mutual understanding, respect and shared prosperity in the region and beyond,” the Pakistani Government said in statement.
Shehbaz assured Pezeshkian of Pakistan’s “readiness to continue playing an honest and sincere role in facilitating dialogue and supporting all efforts aimed at preserving peace and stability”.
The June understanding between the US and Iran also faces the risk of being ruptured due to Israeli threats against Iran and the Zionist regime’s egregious ceasefire violations in Lebanon.
Iran has made it clear it will not negotiate with the US under threat.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian Parliament Speaker and Chief Negotiator in talks with the US, said “the Strait of Hormuz will only open with ‘Iranian arrangements’, not American threats”.
Pakistan, in its mediation efforts, enjoys the support of Qatar and other influential countries in West Asia.
Shehbaz also held a telephone conversation on Friday with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the Iran-US situation, with the two leaders stressing the need for restraint, dialogue and diplomacy to preserve regional peace.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), citing a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said in a post on the social media platform X that Iran had not requested a new round of talks with the US but had accepted visits from mediators. – BERNAMA
