Pakistan condemns US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, urges de-escalation

Pakistan condemned on Sunday the United States' military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, warning that continued escalation could severely destabilize the region and urging all parties to return to diplomacy.

In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the U.S. strikes violated international law and risked dragging the region into wider conflict.

“We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region,” the statement read. “These attacks violate all norms of international law, and Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter.”

The condemnation comes hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had struck Iran’s three major nuclear enrichment sites—Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow—marking a significant expansion of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran.

In a televised address, Trump called the strikes a “spectacular military success” and warned that Iran would face “more devastating attacks” unless it agreed to peace.

“If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill,” Trump said. The White House said B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles were used in the strikes, with Fordow reportedly hit by six bunker-buster bombs.

The U.S. has conveyed through diplomatic channels that no additional strikes are planned and that it does not seek regime change, according to CBS News.

Pakistan's Foreign Office called the escalating violence "deeply disturbing," warning that continued aggression could have “severely damaging implications for the region and beyond.”

“All parties must adhere to international law, particularly International Humanitarian Law,” the statement said, urging an immediate halt to the conflict and protection of civilian lives and infrastructure.

Pakistan stressed that only dialogue and diplomacy, based on the UN Charter, could resolve the crisis.

The U.S. strikes followed more than a week of deadly aerial exchanges between Israel and Iran, which have killed hundreds.

Iran’s health ministry said more than 430 people have died and over 3,500 have been injured in Israeli attacks. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed and over 1,200 injured, according to local authorities.

Israel began its campaign on June 13, accusing Iran of nearing the development of nuclear weapons—an allegation Tehran denies. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

U.S. involvement has drawn both support and criticism at home. While some Republicans praised the military action, others—including Democrats—questioned the legality of the move without congressional approval. Some lawmakers warned it could lead to further instability.

“This is not constitutional,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said the strike was “absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

The conflict has already disrupted regional energy supplies, with attacks on infrastructure and growing threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz—raising fears of spiking oil prices and global economic fallout.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to address the public in a briefing on Sunday.

Despite the strike’s military success, critics warn that diplomatic options may be narrowing. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the attack “a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge.”

While Trump’s base remains divided, Pakistan has joined a growing chorus of nations urging restraint.

"The only viable pathway to resolve the crises in the region,” Pakistan said, “is through diplomacy."