Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has spoken to his Iranian counterpart and wants to normalize ties. Fears of regional conflict grew after tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s territory
Pakistan and Iran on Friday expressed willingness to work with each other following tit-for-tat exchanges on each other’s territory this week.
A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani had spoken to his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, on Friday, a day after Pakistan strikes in Iran.
“Foreign Minister Jilani expressed Pakistan’s readiness to work with Iran on all issues based on the spirit of mutual trust and cooperation,” the statement said. “He underscored the need for closer cooperation on security issues.”
The contact follows a call between Jilani and his Turkish counterpart in which Islamabad said “Pakistan has no interest or desire in escalation.”
Amirabdollahian, in comments quoted by Iran’s state media, said, “Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are of great interest to us and bilateral cooperation is essential to neutralize and destroy terrorist camps on Pakistani soil.”Â
Pakistan holds emergency meeting earlier in the day
The statement followed after top Pakistani civilian and military leaders held an emergency meeting to review the tense security situation amid the standoff with Iran.
Islamabad said on Thursday that it had launched air strikes on insurgents in Iran, two days after Tehran struck “terrorist targets” inside the South Asian country.
Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar chaired the National Security Committee meeting, his office said. The country’s powerful army chief and heads of intelligence agencies were part of the meeting.
