Pakistan's government endorses move to end rift with Iran: Geo TV

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
19 Jan 2024 20:14
4 Shares

The Iranian and Pakistani foreign ministers have held a phone call to discuss the two countries' relations, amid a diplomatic rift.

Current Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L) meets with his then-Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (R) at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Tehran, Iran, on June 14, 2022. (AFP)

Pakistan decided to end the diplomatic rift with Iran and approved the re-establishment of full diplomatic relations with Tehran, the Pakistani broadcaster Geo TV reported.

The news coincides with a top-level extraordinary session of the country's Cabinet Committee on National Security, which the Pakistani Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar, called for on Friday. The Pakistani Prime Minister had cut short his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos due to the recent events, in order to chair the meeting, the local Dawn newspaper reported, citing interim Information Minister, Murtaza Solangi.

Moreover, the Prime Minister's Office said the two neighboring countries will be mutually able to overcome "minor irritants" through dialogue and diplomacy, The Times of India reported.

Short-lived turmoil

Iran's attack on terror cells in Pakistan's Balochistan province resulted in short-lived diplomatic turmoil, between the two countries, as Islamabad recalled its Ambassador from Iran and expelled the Iranian Ambassador on January 17. The country also promised to respond to the operation and launched an aggression on Iran, in what it said was an attack on Jaish ul-Adl operatives in Iran.

However, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it respects Tehran's sovereignty, adding that the "sole objective of today's act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest."

Iranian Pakistani FMs hold crucial phonecall

In fact, Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, spoke to his counterpart, Jalil Abbas Jilani, over the phone on Friday. Iranian and Pakistani news outlets reported that the top diplomats emphasized the need to restore diplomatic relations.

Jilani stressed the need for greater cooperation with Tehran on security issues, adding that Pakistan is ready to cooperate with Iran in all matters based on mutual trust and cooperation.

On his part, Amir-Abdollahian reiterated the important position that Pakistan holds in Iranian foreign relations

"It is appropriate to focus on security and military cooperation, which was agreed upon and emphasized by the officials of the two countries in the past," the Iranian Foreign Minister was quoted as saying by Mehr.

Iran stressed the need for Islamic unity

However, the top diplomat stressed that Iran's security forces will strike any terror group aiming to launch an attack on the country, at their operational bases. He added that security forces will not allow terrorists the luxury to carry out attacks on Iran.

"This operational action is in line with the immediate duties of the operational headquarters in Sistan and Balochistan and in order to neutralize the terrorist threat, according to the evidence and documentation, more than fifty terrorists were preparing to carry out a terrorist attack against Iran in that site [inside Pakistan], which failed due to the timely action of the Iranian forces," Amir-Abdollahian stressed during the phone call.

Finally, he reiterated Iran's respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan, emphasizing the need for Islamic unity amid the ongoing Israeli-led genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in Palestine.