
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed “complete solidarity” with Iran amid heavy exchanges of missiles and airstrikes between Tehran and arch-foe Israel, while former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that Pakistan cannot afford the conflict in Iran turning into Iraq 2.0 or World War III.
There were reports of new Israeli strikes in Iran earlier today as Tel Aviv warned “Tehran will burn” after the Islamic Republic continued its barrage of overnight missiles in response to Israeli onslaught on its nuclear facilities that killed its top generals.
The missile exchange comes a day after nearly 80 people, including top army officers, were killed while civilians were among over 300 wounded in Iran as a result of Israel’s strikes on military sites and private residences, according to the country’s UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani.
According to PTV News, the PM spoke over the phone to Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian, informing him that Pakistan stands in complete solidarity with the “brotherly people of Iran against Israel’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression”.
“He (the PM) strongly condemned the Israeli attacks against Iran, which are a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a complete violation of the UN Charter and international law,” the report read. The PM added that Iran has the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
“The prime minister condemned Israel’s provocations and adventurism, calling them a serious threat to regional and global peace and stability,” PTV News reported. “He also strongly condemned Israel’s unabated acts of brutal genocide against the brave Palestinians.”
According to PTV News, PM Shehbaz urged the international community and the UN to take “immediate and credible steps” against Israeli aggression, stating that Pakistan is fully committed to promoting peace in the region.
Pezeshkian thanked the PM for Pakistan’s support, saying that this was a “reflection of the close and brotherly relations between the two countries”.
PTV News reported that Pezeshkian apprised PM Shehbaz of Iran’s perspective on the crisis with Israel and urged the international community, especially Islamic countries, to work together to confront these threats. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.