Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar engaged in a crucial telephone conversation on Saturday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, addressing the escalating violence and instability in the Middle East. During this high-level exchange, Dar expressed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the recent attacks targeting Iran, emphasizing the urgent need to halt the growing tensions that threaten regional peace and security.
The discussion between the two foreign ministers centered on the rapidly evolving situation in Iran and its wider implications for the Middle East. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that both leaders agreed on the importance of resolving the crisis through peaceful means rather than military confrontation. Dar underscored the necessity for all involved parties to exercise restraint and return to diplomatic negotiations to prevent further deterioration of the conflict.
The current crisis intensified after coordinated strikes by Israel and the United States against Iranian targets. US President Donald Trump publicly stated that the objective behind these operations was to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities and prevent the country from advancing its nuclear weapons program. In retaliation, Iran launched a significant missile offensive aimed at several Gulf nations as well as Israel, marking a dangerous escalation in hostilities.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for targeting the US Fifth Fleet headquarters located in Bahrain, along with other American military installations in the Gulf region and multiple sites within Israel. The aftermath of these attacks saw a series of explosions and heightened air defense responses across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Iraq. Several countries, including Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan, reported successful interceptions of incoming missiles, preventing potentially catastrophic damage.
Tragically, the violence resulted in casualties on both sides. UAE state media confirmed the death of one individual in Abu Dhabi due to missile strikes. Meanwhile, a provincial official in Iran reported that a missile hit a school, causing the deaths of 24 people, a grim reminder of the human cost of the conflict. In Israel, military forces dispatched rescue teams following reports of missile impacts, while smoke was observed rising over Tehran’s Pasteur district, home to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Security measures in Tehran were noticeably intensified amid fears of further attacks. Israeli media speculated that both Khamenei and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian were potential targets in the recent strikes, although Iranian state television later confirmed that Pezeshkian remained unharmed. The heightened alert and ongoing military exchanges underscore the fragile and volatile nature of the current situation.
Pakistan’s call for immediate de-escalation reflects its broader commitment to regional stability and peaceful conflict resolution. The government continues to advocate for dialogue as the only viable path forward, urging all parties to refrain from actions that could further inflame tensions and jeopardize the security of millions across the Middle East.
