ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Thursday said Islamabad remains actively engaged with both the US and Iran to resolve their conflict, stressing that the “clock on diplomacy has not stopped.”
Pakistan has leveraged its close ties with both the Trump administration and Tehran to mediate as tensions remain high between the US and Iran. Islamabad hosted the first round of direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran. A second round of talks did not materialize after Trump canceled a scheduled visit by the US delegation that was supposed to hold talks with Iran last week.
Iran continues to maintain its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz waterway, while the US is also not letting up in its blockade of Iranian ports. Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad, Andrabi said Pakistan was in talks with both parties to the conflict, saying they were “discussing these issues in depth.”
“And the status is that we remain actively engaged with both sides to achieve the resolution of this issue,” he said. “So, let me underscore that the clock on diplomacy has not stopped.”
Despite the ongoing tensions between both sides, the foreign office spokesperson said Pakistan was hopeful that peace would prevail.
“We remain hopeful of a negotiated settlement of this issue,” he said. “And we will continue our sincere efforts for the cause of peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.”
REOPENING STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Andrabi said Pakistan backs the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Iran has effectively shut since the war started, warning of its global economic repercussions.
Roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass through the strait. Iran’s chokehold over the strait has pushed global oil prices higher and disrupted global shipping lines as vessels opt for longer routes.
Andrabi said Pakistan supports the interests of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries regarding the Strait of Hormuz, adding that it is an “important issue” for Islamabad as well.
He called for the safe passage of civilian ships on the key waterway.
“So, we agree on the urgency of the situation and fundamental objective of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the normalization of the situation in this context,” Andrabi said.
In response to a question about reports on social media about Pakistanis being laid off in the UAE, Andrabi dismissed the claims as unverified.
“You know, there are 2.2 million Pakistanis living in the UAE and contributing to the economy,” he said. “Any news of any targeting or any profiling of Pakistan for Pakistanis for employment is untrue.”
He warned that such reports could be an attempt to drive a wedge between the UAE and Pakistan, which remain on cordial terms with one another.
“There may be an element of rumor mongering in that to basically drive a wedge between brotherly relations of Pakistan and United Arab Emirates,” he said.
