Pakistan urges Iran to avoid Gulf attacks

Pakistan has intensified diplomatic outreach amid the rapidly evolving crisis in Iran and the wider Gulf region, engaging regional capitals while urging restraint and cautioning against actions that could further widen the conflict, officials and diplomatic sources said on Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday evening, expressing concern over the deteriorating regional situation and stressing the importance of maintaining communication as tensions escalate.

According to the Foreign Office, both sides agreed to remain in close contact over the unfolding developments.

Diplomatic sources said Islamabad has also conveyed its concerns to Tehran, urging the Iranian leadership to avoid attacks against Gulf countries, warning that such actions could dangerously broaden the conflict and destabilise an already volatile region.

This was the second telephonic conversation between Dar and Araghchi since the Iran and US-Israel erupted last week.

Dar, earlier, revealed that he reminded his Iranian counterpart about Pakistan's mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia. Dar went on to claim that due to Pakistan's shuttle diplomacy, Iran avoided attacking Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan's diplomatic push comes amid reports of attacks targeting several regional states, including Azerbaijan and Türkiye, which have triggered fresh tensions in the wider Middle East and Caucasus region.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, during which he strongly condemned the drone strikes on the Nakhchivan exclave that reportedly targeted civilians.

The prime minister assured the Azerbaijani leadership that Pakistan stood in "complete solidarity and support with the brotherly people of Azerbaijan" during the difficult time. He also briefed President Aliyev on Pakistan's diplomatic outreach following the crisis unfolding in Iran and the Gulf region.

President Aliyev thanked the Pakistani premier for the call and appreciated Islamabad's expression of solidarity. Both leaders stressed the need for de-escalation and restoration of peace in the region and agreed to remain in close contact.

In a separate statement, the Foreign Office expressed "serious concern" over attacks targeting Türkiye and Azerbaijan, warning that such actions were a violation of international law and could push the region toward further escalation.

"While reaffirming Pakistan's strong solidarity with Türkiye and Azerbaijan, we call for restraint and the use of dialogue and diplomacy to maintain regional peace and stability," the statement said.

Iran, however, has rejected allegations that it carried out attacks against Azerbaijan and Türkiye. Iranian officials have termed the accusations a "false flag operation" orchestrated by Israel to widen the conflict and drag more regional players into the confrontation.

Diplomatic observers say Pakistan's outreach reflects a careful balancing act as Islamabad seeks to maintain ties with multiple regional players while preventing the crisis from spiralling into a wider regional war.