Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to regional peace and stability amid uncertainty over the ceasefire between the United States and Iran following recent military exchanges. The call came after the US and Iran traded fresh strikes following a drone attack on a Singapore-flagged oil vessel, the Ever Lovely, in the Strait of Hormuz.
US-Iran Strikes Escalate Tensions
The US military said it targeted Iranian drone storage sites and coastal radar installations, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it struck US military positions in the region in retaliation. This exchange has raised fresh doubts about the interim ceasefire agreement reached last week between Washington and Tehran, which aimed to negotiate a permanent end to hostilities.
The attack on the Ever Lovely occurred while the International Maritime Organization was evacuating stranded vessels from the Strait of Hormuz via an alternative route along Oman’s coastline. The UN maritime agency subsequently suspended the operation, stating it would not resume until it received assurances that ships could transit safely. Iran has increasingly asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil supplies pass.
Pakistan’s Role in Peace Process
According to a statement from Pakistan’s foreign office, Dar “reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to play its constructive role for achieving the goal of lasting peace and stability in the region and beyond.” The phone call follows Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan earlier on Tuesday, during which he appreciated Islamabad’s role in facilitating the Iran-US Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and advancing its implementation.
Foreign Minister Araghchi expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s support in advancing the peace process and thanked Islamabad for facilitating the “safe and smooth” repatriation of Iranian fishermen. Both officials agreed to remain in close contact, the foreign office added.
Regional Implications
The latest violence comes at a delicate moment as Washington and Tehran attempt to negotiate a permanent end to the war under an interim agreement. Earlier on Friday, Lebanon, Israel and the US signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a peace deal between the two long-time Middle East adversaries. The ongoing instability in the Strait of Hormuz threatens global oil supplies, with a fifth of the world’s oil passing through the waterway. The exchange of fire has cast doubt on whether both sides can maintain the ceasefire long enough to reach a lasting settlement.
