ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan remains optimistic about a peaceful resolution to the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and will continue its efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Wednesday.
The FO spokesperson said Islamabad had not abandoned hopes for a diplomatic solution despite the recent escalation between Washington and Tehran.
Pakistan has played an active role in efforts to facilitate a peaceful resolution. In June, it helped mediate the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, while Islamabad had earlier brokered a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran in April.
The April truce halted the most intense phase of fighting, but intermittent attacks, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, have since complicated efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement.
Giving details of Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement, the FO spokesperson said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to discuss the evolving regional situation.
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s support for resolving disputes through restraint, dialogue and diplomacy, while describing the Islamabad MoU as the most practical route towards durable peace and stability in the region, Andrabi said.
He added that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also held discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The two officials had previously exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf during the Makkah summit in Istanbul.
Andrabi also referred to Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent visit to Tehran as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic initiative. Discussions during the visit focused on facilitating the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, reducing regional tensions and pursuing a negotiated settlement.
“These were among the main issues discussed during the visit,” the spokesperson said.
On the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), FO spokesperson said that India cannot selectively accept or reject international decisions, asserting that the recent ruling by the international arbitration court in The Hague strongly supports Pakistan’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty.
Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed the ruling and maintained that India’s rejection of the decision amounted to disregard for international law and the sanctity of agreements.
“The decision on the Indus Waters Treaty is very clear,” the spokesperson said, adding that India could not choose which international rulings to follow according to its convenience.
FO spokesperson also briefed on the trilateral cooperation mechanism established under the Makkah Agreement. A meeting of the committee formed under the agreement was held in Istanbul on August 31, where Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye agreed to work jointly on matters of mutual interest.
The secretariat of the cooperation mechanism will be established in Saudi Arabia, while Pakistan will hold the secretary general’s position for three years, he said.
Clarifying reports about the agreement’s name, Andrabi said it had not been changed. The issue related only to how the agreement is referred to in different languages, including Turkish, Arabic and English.
On Afghanistan, Andrabi said China’s special representative for Afghanistan had been in Islamabad and met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq.
He described the address delivered by Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires at the National Defence University as a routine engagement, noting that diplomats and ambassadors regularly visit universities.
“There should not be any attempt to read more into it,” he said, describing the matter as a “non-issue”. Andrabi also said he was unaware of any post made by the Afghan envoy on X.