Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani has made it clear to his Iranian counterpart that Islamabad reserves the right to respond to Iranian aggression on January 16.
Regarding the telephone conversation between the two foreign ministers, the spokesperson of the Foreign Office stated that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian contacted Jalil Abbas Jilani on phone, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Jalil Abbas Jilani is leading the Pakistani delegation at an unofficial ministerial meeting in Kampala, Uganda.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Jalil Abbas Jilani told his Iranian counterpart that the attack on Pakistan’s borders on January 16 not only violates Pakistan’s sovereignty but also constitutes a serious violation of international laws and the spirit of mutual relations between Pakistan and Iran.
Jalil Abbas Jilani stated that terrorism is a common threat for the region, and concerted and relevant efforts are needed to combat this curse; unilateral actions can severely undermine regional security and stability.
He further emphasized that any country in the region should not tread on this dangerous path.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in a press briefing in Islamabad earlier in the day, said Pakistan had expelled Iran’s ambassador and called back its envoy in Tehran.
She also revealed that Islamabad has decided to suspend all high-level visits that were ongoing or were planned between Pakistan and Iran in the coming days.
