Pak Deputy PM Dar calls for de-escalation in West Asia

Islamabad, Jul 12 (PTI) Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday urged the US and Iran to show restraint following the escalation of conflict in West Asia. The United States carried out targeted strikes against Iran on Sunday morning after Iran struck a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, setting the container on fire. Iran responded to the US attacks by targeting neighbouring Gulf nations: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, AP reported. The escalation happened days after President Donald Trump said that the deal with Iran is over. Dar, who is also the foreign minister, held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and expressed concerns, according to a statement by the Foreign Office in Islamabad. “Both leaders exchanged views on the evolving regional situation. DPM/FM stressed upon the parties to follow the path of de-escalation and show restraint, as agreed in the Islamabad MOU in June 2026,” it said. Islamabad MoU refers to an interim agreement aimed at bringing peace in West Asia that was signed by the US and Iran last month. Pakistan had also signed it as a mediator. Dar said that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable path to resolve disputes and to achieve peace and stability in the region. He also reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to continue playing a "constructive role" as a mediator. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact, according to the foreign office. Meanwhile, Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first statement since the funeral of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Saturday, said Iranians would avenge his father's killing, AP reported. PTI SH RD ABD RD RD