Pakistan supports peaceful solution to Iran crisis: Foreign Office

WEB DESK: The Foreign Office during its weekly briefing said Pakistan was closely monitoring the situation in Iran, noting that people had faced hardships during recent protests. It added that Islamabad supported a peaceful resolution of Iran’s internal challenges, emphasising that a stable and peaceful Iran was in the interest of the entire region.

Expressing hope that Iran would soon overcome its current crisis, the spokesperson said Pakistan remained committed to promoting peace and stability in the region and would continue to play a constructive role in efforts aimed at maintaining regional calm.

Pakistan has strongly rejected recent remarks made by the Indian army chief, reiterating its condemnation of what it described as continued human rights violations by Indian forces in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi  said Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir were ongoing, adding that the mistreatment of minorities and the spread of hate-driven narratives in India were widely documented and could not be ignored.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with the Amir of Qatar, during which the two leaders discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation. The Foreign Office said both sides expressed satisfaction over the steady growth of Pakistan–Qatar relations and agreed to remain in close contact to further strengthen ties.

In another diplomatic development, President Asif Ali Zardari is currently on an official visit to Bahrain, where he has met senior Bahraini officials. The spokesperson said discussions during the visit would focus on bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar attended the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, where he presented Pakistan’s position on key regional and international issues. Pakistan reaffirmed its stance on Somaliland, stressing that any action undermining Somalia’s sovereignty was unacceptable.

During the OIC meeting, Ishaq Dar also condemned what Pakistan described as Israel’s political aggression. The Foreign Office reiterated that any violation of Somalia’s sovereignty would not be recognised.

The foreign minister also held talks with his Iranian counterpart, with discussions focusing on the situation in Iran, developments in the Middle East and broader regional security concerns.

On relations with the United States, the Foreign Office said Pakistan was in contact with Washington regarding immigration-related policy matters. It added that the US was currently reviewing its visa policy, and Pakistan was closely following developments.