By Shakir Husain
NEW DELHI, Jan 20 (Bernama) — Pakistan and Iran have begun to take steps to restore trust in their relations after launching military strikes on “terrorist hideouts” in each other’s territory and protesting about “violation of sovereignty”.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, in a phone call on Friday discussed the return of ambassadors of the two countries to their capitals.
Pakistan had recalled its ambassador from Tehran and told the Iranian ambassador, who had gone on a visit to Iran, not to return to Islamabad “for the time being” in protest against the Iranian attack on an alleged militant group in the border town of Panjgur in Pakistan on Tuesday.
In a tit-for-tat response, the Pakistani military struck alleged militant hideouts in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province on Thursday.
Friday’s phone conversation between the foreign ministers showed their desire to regain each other’s trust.
“Underscoring the close brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran, the foreign minister expressed Pakistan’s desire to work with Iran based on a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation. The foreign minister stressed that respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty must underpin this cooperation,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The two foreign ministers agreed that working-level cooperation and close coordination on counter terrorism and other aspects of mutual concern should be strengthened. They also agreed to de-escalate the situation,” it added.
The Iranian embassy in Islamabad said the ministers “had a very good phone talk to restore relations to a high level”.
Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, director-general of West Asia at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, hoped that the de-escalation will lead to the return of ambassadors to their host countries and mutual visits of foreign ministers.
Rahim Hayat Qureshi, Pakistan’s additional secretary for West Asia, thanked Mousavi and the Iranian embassy for “the constructive efforts made for the early de-escalation between the two brotherly countries”.
“We look forward to many high-level engagements in the future,” Qureshi said.
Pakistan and Iran normally enjoy good relations and have regular cooperation on the issue of militancy and terrorism in their border region.
Iran’s military action involving missiles and drones came as a shock to people in Pakistan.
Iran is fully committed to the territorial integrity of Pakistan, Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said on Friday.
He also highlighted cooperation on issues of common interest, such as security, geoeconomics, terrorism and regional matters.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Friday chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) to review the latest situation.
The meeting was attended by key ministers and the military chiefs.
“The forum undertook a wholesome review of the situation and lauded the professional, calibrated and proportionate response by the Armed Forces of Pakistan against unprovoked and unlawful violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty,” state-run Pakistan Television said on social media.
“During the meeting, participants were briefed about political and diplomatic developments bearing upon the prevailing situation between Pakistan and Iran, and its impact on the overall security milieu in the region,” it said.
The meeting underscored that with Iran being “a neighbourly and brotherly Muslim country, existing multiple communication channels between the two countries should be mutually utilised to address each other’s security concerns in the larger interest of regional peace and stability”.
— BERNAMA