Pakistan stands with Iran and neighbours, says PM after ‘Israeli aggression’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran, saying that Pakistan stands “with Tehran and its other neighbors in pursuit of peace”.

“Deeply worried by the recent act of Israeli aggression against Iran,” the PM wrote on X.

“Such actions threaten not only regional peace and stability but also violate principles of sovereignty and international law.”

Earlier in a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran, saying that these strikes undermine the path to “regional peace and stability and also constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region”.

In a press release issued today, FO said that Israeli military strikes against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran are a grave violation of the UN Charter and international law.

The statement by the FO and PM Shehbaz comes after Israel hit at Iran early on Saturday, with its military saying it was conducting strikes against military targets in response to Tehran’s attacks on Israel.

The Middle East has been on edge in anticipation of Israeli retaliation for a ballistic missile barrage carried out by Iran on October 1, in which around 200 ballistic missiles were fired at Israel, Iran’s second direct attack on Israel in six months.

“In response to months of continuous attacks from the regime in Iran against the State of Israel – right now the Israel Defense Forces is conducting precise strikes on military targets in Iran,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

Meanwhile, in its statement, Pakistan said that Israel bears full responsibility for the current cycle of escalation and expansion of the conflict.

The press release called on the world to play its role in restoring regional peace and security.

“We call on the UN Security Council to play its role for the maintenance of international peace and security, and to take immediate steps to bring an end to Israeli recklessness in the region and its criminal behaviour,” the FO added.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also condemned Israel’s attack, and warned against any further expansion of the conflict in the Middle East.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation” of the Israeli strikes and emphasised its “firm position rejecting escalation of the conflict in the region”, which “threatens the security and the stability of countries and peoples” in the Middle East, the foreign ministry said on X.

Moreover, the United States has urged Iran to stop attacking Israel to break the cycle of violence.

“We urge Iran to cease its attacks on Israel so that this cycle of fighting can end without further escalation,” US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said.