By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday voiced opposition to the use of force or coercive measures against Iran, urging that disputes be settled through dialogue and diplomacy as Western powers intensified pressure on Tehran with fresh European sanctions and a U.S. military build-up in the Gulf.
The stance was conveyed through a series of high-level contacts and public statements, including a phone call between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, discussions between the two countries’ foreign ministers, and remarks by Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson during a weekly media briefing.
In a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif “underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and diplomatic engagement for promoting peace, security and development in the region”.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, expressing concern over the evolving situation and reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful resolution. Dar “expressed concern over the evolving regional situation and underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable way forward”, according to a Foreign Office statement.
At the briefing, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi elaborated on Islamabad’s position, tying it directly to resistance against military action, sanctions and outside interference. “Pakistan has always advocated for peace and diplomacy to settle all outstanding issues. Our advocacy for peace diplomacy continues and this remains our stated position,” Andrabi said. “This region cannot afford war, turmoil because this in essence stops the economic development and prosperity. So, we hope that peace and diplomacy will prevail. We oppose the use of force. We are against coercive measures against Iran and interference in its internal affairs.”
Andrabi also referenced the nuclear issue, saying Pakistan backed efforts grounded in international law, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and related UN Security Council resolutions, such as those tabled in September last year. He pointed to a recent UN Human Rights Council resolution on Iran that rejected the use of force and emphasised adherence to the UN Charter. “we subscribe to these positions, and we will continue to do so”.
Pakistan’s call for restraint followed a sharpening of European policy toward Iran and ongoing U.S. military reinforcements in the Middle East. EU foreign ministers unanimously agreed on Thursday to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. The European Council also imposed new sanctions over human rights abuses and Iran’s military aid to Russia’s war in Ukraine, adding 15 individuals and six entities to its sanctions list.
The US has meanwhile ramped up its presence in the region, in what analysts describe as the largest deployment since strikes in 2025. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, along with three destroyers and over 5,000 troops, has been sent to join existing forces, including F-15E Strike Eagles and THAAD and Patriot missile systems. This brings the total US troop count in the area to about 50,000 by late January.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he hoped to steer clear of military conflict with Iran, which has warned of strikes on American bases and carriers if attacked. Trump told reporters he is in communication with Iran and remains open to avoiding a military strike, following earlier comments that time was “running out” for Tehran amid the naval deployment. When asked about talks with Iran, Trump said: “I have had and I am planning on it.” “We have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won’t have to use it,” he added.
As tensions rose with heightened rhetoric from Brussels and Washington, and stark warnings from Iran this week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged a return to nuclear talks to “avoid a crisis that could have devastating consequences in the region”.
Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami vowed a “crushing response” to any assault, state television reported, noting that 1,000 “strategic drones” had been added to combat units. Several Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, have advocated for dialogue while making clear they would not permit their airspace, land, or waters to be used for attacks on Iran, citing risks of reprisals and economic fallout.
Turkey said on Thursday it would propose mediating between Washington and Tehran during an impending visit by Araghchi, after its foreign minister called on the US to reopen nuclear discussions. “It’s wrong to attack Iran. It’s wrong to start the war again. Iran is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file again,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Al-Jazeera. As a NATO member, Turkey is preparing contingency measures along its 530-kilometre border with Iran in case of escalation, a senior official told AFP.
Russia, an ally of Iran, said on Thursday that “the potential for negotiations is not exhausted”. “Any use of force can only create chaos in the region and lead to very dangerous consequences,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, in a call with French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot, stressed “the resumption of dialogue between the United States and Iran regarding the Iranian nuclear file”, according to a statement from Cairo.
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