ISLAMABAD: Omani and Pakistani foreign ministers discussed the Middle East situation as the United States (US) and Iran continued to exchange strikes for a 12th consecutive night on Wednesday, the Pakistani foreign office said, calling for efforts to restore peace in the region.
The US military announced Wednesday that it was conducting a 12th night of strikes against Iran as both sides increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure. Iran has responded to US attacks by targeting energy infrastructure and desalination plants that provide drinking water in parched neighboring Gulf countries.
The continued US airstrikes are occurring even as diplomatic efforts show little public sign of progress and officials on both sides have dug in on the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz for global energy that remains largely closed. The unpopular war threatens further worldwide economic disruption and is sending fuel prices up.
Pakistani FM Ishaq Dar met his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum in Manila, where both leaders exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
“The Omani Foreign Minister appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting dialogue, de-escalation, and regional peace and security,” the foreign office said in a statement on Thursday.
“Both sides expressed concern over the recent developments in the region, stressed the importance of upholding the ceasefire, respecting international law, and working toward lasting peace and stability in the region.”
Before the latest strikes, Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator in the conflict, seeking to revive diplomacy. But it was unclear what new arrangement might be reached to end the war, which lately has become a battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Interior Ministry spokesman Ali Zeinivand said “diplomacy isn’t called off” and that messages were still being exchanged, without elaborating, according to Iranian state media.
President Donald Trump warned earlier on Wednesday that the US would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the strait.
“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT,” Trump wrote on social media.
Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said his country would adopt an “eye for an eye” defense doctrine.
“Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response,” he posted on X.
The closure of the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passed during peacetime, has jolted the world economy with effects far beyond the Middle East. A new threat by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea puts another trade chokepoint at risk.
Benchmark Brent crude oil rose to more than $93 a barrel in trading. That’s up from less than $72 early this month, which is roughly where it was before the war. Gasoline prices are also climbing.
Iran says it has the right to manage traffic and potentially charge fees in the strait, which was open to all and toll-free before the war. It has attacked ships using a route through the strait that is overseen by US forces and intended to be outside Tehran’s control.
— With input from AP.
