Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Pakistan stands in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states after attacks linked to tensions between Iran and strikes carried out by Israel and the United States.
In a message shared on X (formerly Twitter), the prime minister said he spoke with Mohammed bin Salman to strongly condemn the “dangerous regional escalation” that followed the Israeli strike on Iran and the subsequent attacks across Gulf countries.
Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is ready to play a positive role in promoting peace and prayed that the holy month of Ramazan would bring stability and calm to the region.
The prime minister also held a telephone conversation with Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, expressing strong condemnation of the regional tensions triggered by Israel’s strike on Iran and the “regrettable and condemnable strikes” reported in the UAE and other Gulf states, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
He expressed deep grief over the death of a Pakistani citizen in the missile strike in the UAE capital and offered heartfelt condolences to the family of the victim.
The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support and solidarity with the people and leadership of the UAE during this difficult period. He said Pakistan would always stand beside its Emirati friends, noting that the long standing brotherly relations between the two nations have remained strong through every challenge.
The diplomatic calls by the prime minister came amid growing regional tensions after joint military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have pushed the Middle East back into military confrontation and reduced hopes for a diplomatic solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program, despite Tehran’s repeated position that it does not intend to develop nuclear weapons.
According to a US official speaking to Reuters, American air and naval strikes were being carried out. Another official speaking to CNN said the operations were focused only on military targets.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel launched a pre-emptive operation to remove threats against the country. Defence officials said the operation had been prepared months earlier, and the timing was decided weeks in advance, with coordination between Israel and the United States.
Following the strikes, Iran carried out retaliatory attacks targeting Israeli and US interests across the Middle East. Explosions were reported in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards stated that the first wave of missile and drone retaliation had been launched against Israel, warning that all US military bases and interests in the region were within reach of Iranian forces, according to an Iranian official cited by Reuters.