KEY POINTS
- Iran and Russia called for “continued dialogue” between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban to resolve cross-border terrorism disputes.
- Pakistan PM Sharif accused Afghanistan and India of involvement in recent terror attacks.
- Interior Minister Naqvi said the main suspects in the Islamabad and Wana attacks were from Afghanistan.
MOSCOW: Iran and Russia on Thursday called for “continued dialogue” between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime to resolve disputes over cross-border terrorism, after a series of deadly terrorism attacks in Pakistan this week.
The foreign ministers of Russia and Iran, Sergey Lavrov and Abbas Araghchi, spoke by telephone on Wednesday to discuss regional developments, Russian foreign ministry stated.
The Russian foreign ministry, in a statement on Telegram, said both ministers “welcomed the agreement reached between Kabul and Islamabad, mediated by the authorities of Qatar and Turkiye, on a mutual ceasefire and an end to cross-border shootings along the Afghan-Pakistani frontier.”
“The sides called for continued dialogue between the two friendly states (Afghanistan and Pakistan) to resolve differences by political and diplomatic means, in the interests of ensuring regional stability and security,” the Russian foreign ministry added.
🇷🇺🇮🇷📞 On Nov 12, Foreign Ministers Sergey #Lavrov & Abbas @Araghchi held a telephone conversation.
Among the discussed topics:
▪️ Afghan-Pakistani ceasefire agreement;
▪️ Middle East developments;
▪️ #IAEA Board of Governors;
▪️ Bilateral relations.https://t.co/El9o40Am2P pic.twitter.com/C6SP33pTsX— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) November 12, 2025
Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry said Araghchi “expressed concern over recent clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan” and stressed the importance of constructive regional efforts to safeguard peace and stability.
“He stressed the importance of constructive regional efforts to safeguard peace and stability, and called for enhanced dialogue and cooperation among regional countries in this regard,” the Iranian foreign ministry stated in its statement posted on X.
Iranian and Russian FMs discuss issues of mutual interest on the phone
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday, during which the two sides exchanged views on the latest regional and… pic.twitter.com/prgiP0mMUF
— Foreign Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) November 12, 2025
Cross-border terrorism
After a spate of terror attacks in Pakistan this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday accused Afghanistan and India of involvement in recent terrorism, and vowed a “befitting response” to the nation’s enemies.
One of the terror incidents was Tuesday’s rare suicide attack in Islamabad, which killed 12 people and injured 36 others.
The suicide attack occurred the same day a bomb attack targeted a security forces’ convoy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, injuring at least 14 personnel.
Another was an attack on the Cadet College in South Waziristan’s Wana, from where Pakistan’s security forces safely rescued the stranded students and teachers.
“The hands of foreign elements were visible in attacks in the federal capital and Wana,” PM Sharif said, singling out banned terror groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
PM Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace in Afghanistan and called for sincere dialogue to curb militant groups.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday said the main suspects in both the Islamabad blast and the Wana college infiltration were from Afghanistan.
Following the Islamabad blast, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said that the country was in a “state of war”, adding that it was futile to hope for any positive outcome of talks with Kabul after the incident.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, warned that advanced weapons left in Afghanistan after foreign troop withdrawals were reaching non-state actors.
He named terror groups ISIL-K, TTP, BLA, and the Majeed Brigade as threats and called for international action to prevent the flow of arms to terrorist groups.
Speaking to Geo News, Defence Minister Asif described Afghanistan’s decision to divert trade away from Pakistan as a “blessing in disguise.” He said reduced cross-border traffic might make it harder for terrorists and smugglers to infiltrate Pakistan, adding that it would not harm Pakistan’s economy.
On Wednesday, Taliban interim Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar urged Afghan traders to reduce trade with Pakistan and seek alternative routes.
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been suspended for over a month following an increase in terrorist incidents. Hundreds of trucks remain stranded at border crossings as Islamabad demands Taliban action against terrorist sanctuaries.
