The big picture:
The important discussion, held on Thursday, was addressed by the Institute’s President, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, Middle East Fellow in Washington Nad-e-Ali, and Major General (R) Samrez Salik, while the Head of the Iran Program at IRS, Syed Faraz Naqvi, served as moderator.
Addressing the participants, the speakers emphasized the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran.
What they're saying:
The speakers stated that during the Israel-Iran war, Pakistan acted as a mature and responsible nation, conveying to the U.S. that war is not a solution and that issues should be resolved through dialogue. Pakistan opposed any form of aggression against Iran and expressed its heartfelt desire for all issues to be resolved through negotiations, including the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran.
Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of the Institute of Regional Studies, said: "Iran has a right to the use of nuclear energy. That is an inherent right of Iran as a sovereign state, as a member of the United Nations, and as a signatory of the NPT. Iran has consistently stated that it does not want to build nuclear weapons. Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has consistently affirmed this. However, mistrust persists among many Western countries, particularly the U.S., regarding Iran's intentions. We believe this issue should be resolved according to international law and through peaceful negotiations."
Speaking to Iran Press, Syed Faraz Naqvi, Head of the Iran Program at IRS, said: "We all know that war is never a solution—it is merely a means to achieve certain objectives. When those objectives are not fulfilled, diplomacy must take the lead. This is exactly what Pakistan advocated: that diplomacy should prevail and war should end. To facilitate this process and diplomatic engagement, Pakistan offered an immediate role, which was reiterated during President Pezeshkian's visit to Pakistan. More than Pakistan, Iran and the U.S. desired to mitigate their differences through a third party, and Pakistan was a perfect regional player. It is in Pakistan’s interest that restrictions on Iran be lifted through successful negotiations."
Major General (R) Samrez Salik stated: "Tensions in Iran can seriously impact Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, Gwadar, and the future prospects of regional growth and stability, which are linked to China's ambitions in the region. Pakistan provided significant support and did not succumb to the demands or pressure from the global West to act against Iran."
Key points:
- When Pakistan came into existence in 1947, Iran was the first country to recognize it, just as Pakistan was the first to recognize the government established in Iran after the Islamic Revolution.
- Iran supported Pakistan during the 1965 Pakistan-India War.
- Pakistan condemned Israeli aggression against Iran during the meeting between Pakistani Army Chief Syed Asim Munir and U.S. President Trump.
Go deeper:
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