Dar calls killing of Khamenei ‘a violation’ of international law

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has described the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a blatant violation of international law.

Speaking at the Senate session on the deteriorating situation in the region, he said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a statement condemning the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He said that Iran is our neighbor and a brotherly Islamic country, and Pakistan has made every effort to resolve the issue through backdoor diplomacy.

He said that despite progress in the negotiations, Iran was attacked, which Pakistan strongly condemned.

Pakistan has supported Iran’s position on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and the Iranian leadership is well aware of Pakistan’s efforts.

According to the Foreign Minister, diplomacy is the only solution to the problem, and in this regard, he has contacted the leadership of 13 countries, including the European Union.

Ishaq Dar said that at present, the entire Gulf region is under the influence of the situation. Still, there are no attacks on Saudi Arabia and Oman, and Pakistan has assured these two countries.

He clarified that Pakistan’s efforts are not temporary but continuous. He said that as soon as the news of the attack on Iran came out, he immediately contacted the Foreign Office, and on February 28, Pakistan gave its first official response to the situation.

The Foreign Minister said that there was an attack on Iran in June as well, on which Pakistan had tried to reduce the tension, while during the last 3 days, contacts have been made with several countries so that diplomats can be brought back to the negotiating table.

He said that a path of understanding can be found through dialogue. Ishaq Dar said that he spoke to the Foreign Minister of Oman late at night, while he is in direct and informal contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and they are also in continuous consultation through WhatsApp.

The Foreign Minister said that the Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leaders of both houses will also be briefed, while efforts will be made to take them into confidence regarding Afghanistan so that a joint strategy can be adopted for lasting peace in the region.