Following a brief period of tension between the two neighboring countries, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moqaddam has returned to Islamabad to resume his diplomatic duties.
Moqaddam had temporarily departed for Iran on January 16, before the recent escalation between Iran and Pakistan. However, emphasizing the enduring ties between the nations, the Iranian diplomat conveyed optimism about addressing bilateral issues, as reported by Iran's official news agency IRNA on Friday.
Expressing hope for collaboration in combating terrorism, the ambassador highlighted the potential for cooperation between Iran and Pakistan, according to Xinhua news agency, citing IRNA.
In a reciprocal move, Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu also returned to Tehran earlier on Friday. Tipu conveyed Pakistan's leadership's "sincere and good wishes" through a post on the social media platform X, signaling a desire to chart a new path forward.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, Iran and Pakistan announced their decision to reinstate their respective ambassadors by Friday. The decision followed a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani. The statement further revealed Amir-Abdollahian's upcoming visit to Pakistan on January 29, at Jilani's invitation.
The recent tensions stemmed from Iran's missile and drone strikes on January 16 within Pakistan's Balochistan province, purportedly targeting the terrorist group Jaish ul-Adl. Pakistan condemned the "violation of its airspace" by Iran and withdrew its ambassador from Tehran. Subsequently, on January 18, Pakistan launched a missile strike on a border village in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, eliciting protests from Iran.
(With Agency Inputs)
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