Pakistan on Wednesday urged restraint from both sides after a fresh round of hostilities between the United States and Iran threatened to undo weeks of efforts to achieve peace through the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Renewed Hostilities Undermine Ceasefire
The interim ceasefire agreement signed between Washington and Tehran — under the mediation of Pakistan — was intended to provide a 60-day window for negotiations on a permanent agreement. However, indirect talks in Qatar ended last week with no sign of headway. The US military subsequently unleashed a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday.
Iran responded by stating it had targeted US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait and that it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone attempting to interfere in the operation. Bahrain's army later said it had thwarted Iranian attacks. President Trump has since threatened a new volley of attacks.
Pakistan's Official Response
In a response issued on the situation, the Foreign Office (FO) said: "Pakistan expresses its deep concern at the escalation in tensions in the region. A renewed conflict is in no one’s interest. Pakistan calls on all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that may further undermine regional peace and stability. There is no alternative to continued engagement, dialogue and diplomacy to achieve shared goal of peace in the region."
The FO urged all sides to uphold their respective commitments under the Islamabad MoU, which it said remained "an enduring foundation for understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity for the region and beyond." It added that Pakistan remained ready to continue playing its role in this regard.
