ISLAMABAD: Following retaliatory actions by Pakistan against Iran, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani conveyed on Friday that Islamabad had no inclination or intention for further escalation.
This sentiment was expressed during a telephonic discussion with Turkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, where both officials deliberated on the ongoing developments between Pakistan and Iran.
FM Jilani shared Pakistan’s perspective on the recent events, emphasizing that “Pakistan’s Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar was directed at terrorist camps inside Iran.”
This conversation took place a day after positive messages were exchanged between high-ranking officials from both Pakistan and Iran.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch disclosed a conversation between Additional Foreign Secretary Rahim Hayat Qureshi and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Rasoul Mousavi on her X handle, noting “Some positive exchanges.”
This update followed Pakistan’s strikes on terrorists’ hideouts inside Iran, carried out in retaliation two days after Tehran violated Pakistan’s sovereignty with a strike in Balochistan that resulted in casualties.
In a statement, the Pakistan Army clarified that the targeted hideouts belonged to terrorist organizations, namely Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), in an intelligence-based operation known as “Marg Bar Sarmachar.”
In a subsequent post today, the FO additional secretary responded to his Iranian counterpart’s letter, expressing reciprocal sentiments with “dear brother Seyed Rasoul Mousavi.”
He underscored the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Iran, emphasizing the need for positive dialogue to address all issues and restore the trust and confidence that has traditionally defined bilateral relations.
“Our common challenges, including terrorism, require coordinated action,” he added.
Mousavi conveyed his belief that Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs serves as the endpoint for the prevailing tensions between the two countries.
He highlighted that leaders and officials from both nations recognize that only terrorists and enemies of both countries stand to benefit from the existing tension between the two neighboring nations, as conveyed in his Persian statement on X.
