Pakistan urges US, Iran to adhere to ceasefire, widen diplomatic space

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to strictly adhere to the ceasefire agreement brokered on April 8, stressing the need to widen the diplomatic space as the two adversaries exchanged fresh air and missile strikes. Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad that "Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the situation" in the Middle East, "marked by recent escalation."

Renewed fighting

The latest appeal came after Washington and Tehran engaged in renewed combat this week, trading air and missile strikes. The war began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched military action against Iran, prompting Islamabad to broker a ceasefire on April 8.

Islamabad subsequently hosted high-level talks between US and Iranian officials on April 11-12, positioning itself as a key mediator in a crisis that has threatened regional stability.

Diplomatic efforts

Andrabi said that Pakistan's mediatory and facilitative efforts "have endeavored to end hostilities, save lives and give diplomacy a chance in this regard." He added that "Pakistan reaffirms its support for the peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues; we are of the view that diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for achieving a negotiated settlement of all contentious issues in accordance with the rights and responsibilities of the relevant parties."