ISTANBUL: Pakistan on Sunday stressed the importance of resolving the Iran nuclear issue through peaceful means, constructive diplomacy, and ongoing dialogue.
This was said by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar during the special session to discuss the situation after the Israeli aggression against Iran on the occasion of the 51st Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul on Sunday.
The Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the people of Iran and extended heartfelt condolences for the loss of numerous lives resulting from Israel’s attacks on civilian areas.
Ishaq Dar condemned the Israeli aggression, noting that it occurred while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was actively conducting verification activities in Iran.
He stated that by targeting IAEA-safeguarded facilities, Israel had violated international law, the IAEA statute, and multiple IAEA resolutions.
He also criticised the international community’s double standards regarding Israel, pointing out the absence of discourse on the rule of law, the rules-based international order, or accountability for unlawful actions. He stressed that such impunity must come to an end.
Dar warned that Israel’s actions represent a dangerous escalation and pose a serious threat to peace and stability, not only in the region but globally.
The Deputy Prime Minister said Pakistan fully supports Iran’s inherent right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, in response to the blatant and unprovoked Israeli aggression.
He expressed hope that the meeting would not only reaffirm unwavering solidarity with the brotherly nation of Iran but also deliver a clear message that Israel must be held accountable and that its reckless aggression cannot be allowed to threaten the peace and stability of the entire region.
Earlier today, Ishaq Dar met with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the 51st OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul.
He reaffirmed Islamabad’s “unwavering support for Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and its right to self-defence under the UN Charter”.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday, condemned the United States’ strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as “a serious violation of international law and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Statute.
During the telephone conversation, PM Sharif reaffirmed Iran’s right to self-defence and stressed the need to immediately return to dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way forward to prevent further escalation, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
