Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday strongly condemned Israel, accusing it of targeting all Muslim countries, and announced his intention to raise the matter at international forums.
In an exclusive conversation with a private tv regarding Israel’s recent attack on Iran, Asif expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran, calling it a brotherly nation with which Pakistan shares long-standing ties. “Our sympathies lie fully with Iran,” he said.
Pakistan on Friday condemned "unjustified and illegitimate" aggression by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran.The Foreign Office said Israeli military strikes violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran and clearly contravened the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law.
Asif emphasized that the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran concern the broader Muslim world and warned of Israel’s aggression towards multiple Muslim nations. He stressed the need for collective action.
Earlier Iran has the right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter," said the FO, in a statement.
Israel launched widescale strikes against Iran on Friday, saying it targeted nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders and that this was start of a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon.
Iranian media and witnesses reported explosions including at the country's main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, while Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards corps said its top commander, Hossein Salami, was killed and state media reported the unit's headquarters in Tehran had been hit. Several children had been killed in a strike on a residential area in the capital, it said.
Reacting to the attack, Pakistan said it stood in resolute solidarity with the people of Iran and unequivocally denounced the blatant provocations, which constituted a grave danger and a serious threat to the peace, security, and stability of the entire region and beyond, with serious implications.
"The international community and the United Nations bear responsibility to uphold international law, stop this aggression immediately and hold the aggressor accountable for its actions," it added.
Condemning "unjustified Israeli attacks" on Iran, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said termed it a brazen violation of Iran’s sovereignty.
"This abhorrent action has shaken foundations of international law as well as conscience of humanity; and gravely undermines regional stability & int’l security," he wrote on X.
He said Pakistan stood in solidarity with the government and people of Iran.
