UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called upon Pakistan and Iran to address their security concerns through dialogue and urged them to avoid escalating military strikes, as stated by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Dujarric conveyed the Secretary-General's message: "The Secretary-General underlines that all security concerns between the two countries must be addressed by peaceful means, through dialogue and cooperation, in accordance with the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and good neighbourly relations."
Expressing deep concern about the recent exchange of military strikes between Iran and Pakistan, Guterres urged both nations to exercise maximum restraint to prevent a further escalation of tension. The recent hostilities involved attacks by both countries on what they claimed to be terrorist bases within each other's territories.
Iran conducted strikes on two bases of the Sunni terror group Jaish al-Adl in Balochistan's Koh-e-Sabz, located approximately 50 km inside Pakistan, using missiles and drones on Tuesday. According to Islamabad, two children were killed and several people were injured in the attack.
In retaliation, Pakistan, where an election is scheduled for next month, carried out air strikes in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province on Thursday. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry described the strikes as "specifically targeted precision military strikes" involving aircraft, rockets, and missiles.
Iran reported that nine "foreigners," including three women, two men, and four children, were killed in the strikes. A spokesperson from Islamabad stated that they were of Pakistani origin. The situation underscores the importance of diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts and prevent further escalation in the region.
(With Agency Inputs)
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