Pakistan says it is monitoring Iran situation, calls for stability

Pakistan is closely monitoring developments in neighboring Iran and hopes the country emerges peacefully from its current challenges, the Foreign Office said on Thursday, as tensions mount across the Middle East.

Addressing a weekly news briefing, FO spokesperson Dr. Tahir Andrabi described Iran as a key regional state and said Pakistan wished to see stability and prosperity there.

“As a neighboring country with close ties, Pakistan believes Iran’s leadership and people have the capacity to overcome the present situation,” the spokesperson added.

The comments come amid weeks of unrest in Iran, driven by economic hardship and a security crackdown on protesters, and against a backdrop of heightened regional uncertainty. U.S. President Donald Trump has issued repeated warnings towards Tehran and has suggested possible intervention in support of anti-government demonstrations.

The spokesperson acknowledged that protests in Iran were linked to economic pressures but said Pakistan was confident the country would successfully navigate the difficult phase.

Islamabad has also issued a travel advisory for its citizens in light of the evolving situation.

Turning to regional diplomacy, the spokesperson said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received a telephone call from Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with both leaders expressing satisfaction over bilateral cooperation and discussing broader regional developments.

On relations with Washington, the foreign office said it had taken note of reports regarding potential U.S. visa restrictions and was in contact with American authorities. The spokesperson said the United States was reviewing its visa policy and expressed hope that visa services for Pakistani nationals would resume soon.

The briefing also outlined recent diplomatic outreach by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who held calls over the past week with counterparts in Uzbekistan, Iran and Myanmar, as well as with Indonesia’s investment minister. Dar also spoke directly with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss the situation in Iran.

Separately, Pakistan condemned the sentencing of Kashmiri leader Asiya Andrabi and her associates Fahmida Sofi and Nahida Nasreen by Indian authorities, calling the move an attempt to silence voices advocating Kashmiri rights.

The Foreign Office also rejected remarks by India’s army chief alleging the existence of militant camps, dismissing the claims as baseless. The spokesperson reiterated that the involvement of Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in sabotage activities inside Pakistan was a matter of record.