Pakistan has called on Iran and the United States to exercise restraint and reduce tensions following a third major round of clashes between the two countries in a week. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke by telephone with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and stressed the need to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomatic efforts. In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the two officials discussed the rapidly changing regional situation. Mr Dar urged both Tehran and Washington to follow a path of de-escalation and show restraint under the Islamabad understanding. He said dialogue and diplomacy remained “the only appropriate way” to resolve disputes and achieve lasting peace and stability in the region. The Pakistani foreign minister added that Islamabad was ready to continue playing a constructive role in supporting regional peace and stability. The remarks come as tensions between Iran and the US have sharply increased following a series of retaliatory attacks and growing fears of a wider regional conflict.
