Islamabad (TDI): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday expressed concern over the “sudden” US‑Israel coordinated strikes on Iran, noting that they occurred despite indications of progress in diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran.
Addressing a session of the Senate, Dar highlighted that the dialogue between the two countries had been “going successfully.”
He cited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Austria, during which Pakistan held a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi. According to Dar, Grossi had conveyed optimism that the negotiations were moving in a positive direction.
Read More: Dar Slams Israel Over West Bank Annexation, Calls for International Action
The foreign minister also referenced a conversation with Oman’s foreign minister the previous night. He said that the Omani minister had informed him that the latest round of US‑Iran talks had concluded “on a positive note,” and that he subsequently briefed the US vice president in Washington about the encouraging progress.
Read More: Iran Strikes Israeli, US Targets as Conflict Escalates Across Region
Expressing concern over the sudden escalation, Dar remarked, “It was a repeat of what happened in June last year,” alluding to the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June.
