ISLAMABAD – Foreign Office on Thursday said that Pakistan had been making concerted diplomatic efforts to promote peace and de-escalation in the region. Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s recent visit to Tehran was undertaken as part of Islamabad’s continuing role to facilitate an end to the US-Iran standoff and revive efforts for reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a weekly news briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson said that Pakistan remained engaged with brotherly countries in sincere efforts aimed at resolving the crisis in the Gulf and the wider Middle East through dialogue, diplomacy and negotiations.
He categorically rejected reports suggesting that the Pakistani military chief had travelled to Iran as an envoy of US President Donald Trump or at Washington’s behest, describing such claims as misleading and factually incorrect.
“The visit was purely in the context and backdrop of Pakistan’s ongoing role as a mediator,” Andrabi said, adding that Pakistan’s efforts were aimed at bridging differences between Washington and Tehran and contributing to regional peace and stability.
Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Tehran on August 24, where discussions focused on regional de-escalation, breaking the military stalemate and exploring a negotiated settlement to restore peace and stability in the region.
The spokesperson said the Iranian leadership had appreciated Pakistan’s efforts towards dialogue, de-escalation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
He said the visit had also generated renewed efforts concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, whose disruption has significant implications for global supply chains, particularly energy supplies.
“We remain positive that some momentum will be generated towards this important aspect, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, because it affects everybody with respect to the disruption of supply chains, particularly energy supply chains,” Andrabi said.
He noted that follow-up diplomatic activity was also taking place, including engagement by Qatar and Oman, and described these as part of broader concerted efforts towards settlement of the issue.
However, he stressed that the ultimate decision rested with Tehran and Washington.
“The interlocutors, the mediators, and the facilitators can only make an effort,” the spokesperson said, emphasising that Pakistan’s effort through the field marshal’s Tehran visit had been sincere and constructive.
Asked about Pakistan’s trade relations with Iran amid wider international pressure, Andrabi said Islamabad was following international law and its bilateral trade agreements with Tehran.
“As such, our trade remains in consonance with our obligations,” he said. He also said Pakistan is not “obliged to” comply with unilateral US sanctions on Iran unless they were imposed by the United Nations, signaling a willingness to continue trade with the country even after US President Donald Trump threatened to punish countries doing business with Tehran.
Islamabad is following bilateral agreements with Iran, and while trade between the two neighbors remains robust, “there is a desire to expand,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said.
Addressing reporters in Islamabad at his weekly briefing, Andrabi said Pakistan does not believe Washington’s unilateral sanctions on Tehran adhere to international law and that issues should be resolved through dialogue.
The spokesperson also said Pakistan hoped that economic issues would eventually form part of a broader settlement of the US-Iran standoff, describing resolution of such issues as important to any viable long-term settlement.
On Afghanistan, he adopted a firm position, saying Pakistan remained open to state-level dialogue with Kabul but that any mechanism for engagement would have to produce concrete and verifiable results.
Andrabi said Pakistan had taken note of a proposal by Afghanistan’s interim interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, for a dedicated bilateral mechanism involving committees on both sides to address contentious issues and improve coordination and communication.
“However, the sustainability of any mechanism will depend on tangible actions rather than mere assurances,” he said.
The spokesperson made clear that Pakistan’s principal demand remained unchanged: Afghan territory must not be used to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan.
He said the Afghan Taliban must honour their international commitments, including those under the Doha framework, and prevent Afghan soil from being used by hostile proxies, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army, against Pakistan.
Pakistan, he added, remained ready for institutional coordination if it resulted in tangible and verifiable counter-terrorism measures and effective border management.
Andrabi reiterated that Islamabad’s position on Afghanistan would not change unless Kabul provided verifiable written assurances regarding the non-use of Afghan territory for terrorism against Pakistan.
He rejected reports that Pakistan had agreed to establish a new committee with the Afghan side, clarifying that his earlier remarks merely acknowledged Kabul’s proposal and did not amount to confirmation that such a mechanism had been established.
The spokesperson also categorically denied Afghan allegations that Pakistan was involved in supporting armed opponents of the Taliban administration in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province.
On the broader issue of Afghan militants operating against Pakistan, Andrabi said Islamabad had evidence of Indian involvement in terrorism emanating from Afghan soil and urged the Afghan authorities to take action against terrorist elements operating from their territory.
He said Kabul’s response must consist of actions that could be independently verified rather than assurances alone.
Pakistan, he stressed, wanted the Afghan authorities to act in accordance with their international obligations and prevent their territory from being used for destabilisation and terrorism in the region.
Islamabad rejects notion of Afghan regime acting independently of outside influence
