Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that the country’s leadership remains engaged in efforts to mediate an end to the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran, despite a renewed surge in hostilities, and reiterated its call for a negotiated settlement.

“We remain engaged,” says foreign ministry

“It is hard to be an optimist in the new exchange of hostilities. We haven’t lost hope, we remain engaged,” foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters.

“Let us not draw curtains on Pakistan’s mediation approach,” he added.

Fresh US strikes and Iranian retaliation

The United States carried out fresh strikes against Iran on Thursday, prompting Iranian retaliation, as tensions escalated further amid U.S. accusations that Tehran was delaying negotiations aimed at ending the three-month conflict.

Pakistan calls for diplomacy and restraint

“Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the situation in the region marked by recent escalation,” Andrabi said.

He stressed that Islamabad continues to view diplomacy as the only viable path forward.

“We are of the view that diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for achieving a negotiated settlement of all contentious issues,” he said.

Diplomatic outreach to Tehran

Andrabi added that Pakistan’s interior minister had recently returned from Tehran, where he delivered a message and letter from the prime minister to Iranian leadership as part of ongoing mediation efforts.