Pakistan, Qatar Urge US-Iran Diplomacy as Fighting Escalates

ISLAMABAD: In separate statements put out before the media, Pakistani and Qatari Foreign Ministries and government have asked United States and Iran to remain committed to diplomacy for a durable peace in the region.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a phone call that Iran and the United States should commit to diplomacy.

Al-Thani added that Washington and Tehran should implement the signed memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, the Qatari foreign minister said.

Iran launched drones towards a site in Qatar earlier in the day and a Qatari tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week. Al-Thani condemned the attack in the call, the foreign ministry said.

On the other hand, Pakistani Foreign ministry in a statement expressed its deep concern at the escalation in tensions in the region. A renewed conflict is in no one’s interest.

Pakistan calls on all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that may further undermine regional peace and stability. There is no alternative to continued engagement, dialogue and diplomacy to achieve shared goal of peace in the region.

Pakistan urges all sides to uphold their respective commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which remains an enduring foundation for understanding, mutual respect and shared prosperity for the region and beyond.

Pakistan remains ready to continue playing its role in this regard.
Iran’s foreign ministry denounced US strikes against the country, which it said targeted civilian infrastructure including railway bridges, as a “gross war crime.”

The ministry in a statement said it “condemns in the strongest terms the aggressive attacks by the US terrorist army on several points in the southern coastal provinces and two bridges in the eastern provinces on the railway route to the holy city of Mashhad” and called the US administration “evil and psychopathic”.

The military confrontation between the United States and Iran has entered a new phase after the collapse of the ceasefire and memorandum of understanding that had temporarily halted hostilities. President Donald Trump declared the agreement “over” following a series of attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Tehran of violating its commitments. The United States subsequently launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure, targeting missile sites, air defence systems and naval assets that Washington said posed a threat to freedom of navigation in the Gulf.

Iran responded with missile and drone strikes against American military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, describing the attacks as retaliation for the latest U.S. bombing campaign. Iranian officials warned that any further American military action would be met with stronger retaliation, while the U.S. military maintained that its operations were aimed at degrading Iran’s ability to threaten international shipping and regional security. Both sides have signalled readiness for additional military operations, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

The latest escalation has once again placed the Strait of Hormuz at the centre of the crisis. The strategic waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil passes, has witnessed repeated attacks on commercial vessels, prompting heightened naval deployments and security measures. Shipping companies have begun reassessing transit through the Gulf, while energy markets have reacted sharply amid concerns that prolonged fighting could disrupt global oil supplies.

Despite the renewed exchange of military strikes, diplomatic channels have not been completely abandoned. President Trump has indicated that negotiations for a more durable peace remain possible even as military operations continue, while regional and international mediators are attempting to revive dialogue. However, with both Washington and Tehran accusing each other of violating previous understandings, prospects for an early restoration of the ceasefire remain uncertain and the risk of further escalation continues to loom over the region.