Pakistan urges "maximum restraint", as it maintains balancing act in Iran-US relations

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has called for "maximum restraint" and accentuated on the need to talk to resolve the latest flare-up in the Iran-US tensions. The Pakistani Foreign Officer released the statement after Qureshi's meeting with the top Iranian leadership. On directions of Imran Khan, Pakistan Foreign Minister embarked on his two-day visit on Sunday to Iran and Saudi Arabia to defuse the ongoing tensions in the region following the killing of Iran's Commander Qasem Soleimani in a US-led drone strike in Baghdad. 

Pakistan's Army had asserted that the country, that shares its border with Iran, will not allow its soil to be used against anyone. In the 1980s Pakistan's soil was used against the Soviet Union by the US. In a similar proclamation, Imran Khan said that Pakistan will not be a party to any regional conflict, and would rather make a peacemarker's role. Pakistan's first response over the issue did not come from the government, but unsurprisingly, from the Pakistani military. 

Qureshi met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif separately during which the leaders discussed the recent developments in the Middle East and the Gulf region. Pakistan-Iran relations were also discussed, the Foreign Office said in a statement.  He "emphasised the importance of maximum restraint and immediate steps for de-escalation by all sides", saying that "war was in nobody's interest and it was imperative to resolve the issues through dialogue and diplomacy", it said. 

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Iranian President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif expressed appreciation for Qureshi's visit and stressed the importance Iran attached to its brotherly relations with Pakistan, the statement said.  The leaders stressed that Iran also preferred de-escalation of tensions and preservation of peace and stability in the region, it said. All sides have responsibilities towards this, the Iranian leaders were quoted as saying by the Foreign Office.

India's role in peacemaking 

After the conflict soared, Tehran on January 9 had said that it would welcome any peace initiative from New Delhi for de-escalating tensions in the region. Iranian Ambassador Ali Chegeni said that Tehran welcomes all initiatives from all countries, especially India. He said, "India usually plays a very good role in peace in the world. At the same time India belongs to this region. We all welcome all initiatives from all countries, especially India a good friend for us, to annoy allow escalations."

Amid escalations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a conversation with both Zarif and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Tehran and New Delhi share a strong bilateral relation with economic, historic and cultural links. Both the countries have relied upon one another for maintaining the stability of the region. The most prominent, Chabahar Port, that acts as a transport and trade corridor with Afghanistan and Central Asia is significant in India-Iran relations.

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(With PTI inputs)