ISLAMABAD: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has arrived here on a two-day official visit to hold meetings with Pakistan’s leadership on the situation in the Middle East and bilateral relations.
During his visit, Foreign Minister Araghchi will hold meetings with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, according to a Foreign Office press release.
This visit provides an important opportunity to advance cooperation and dialogue between Pakistan and Iran on a wide range of areas including trade, energy and security.
The visit came at the time when scores of Israeli jets completed three waves of strikes before dawn against missile factories and other sites near Tehran and in western Iran, Israel’s military said.
It was retaliation for Iran’s Oct. 1 attack on Israel with about 200 ballistic missiles, and Israel warned its heavily armed arch-foe not to hit back after the latest strike.
Iran condemned the Israeli raid and its foreign ministry said Iran was “entitled and obligated” to defend itself. But it added that it “recognises its responsibilities towards regional peace and security,” a more conciliatory statement than after previous bouts of escalation.
Iran’s military said the Israeli warplanes used “very light warheads” to target border radar systems in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan and around Tehran.
“Enemy planes were prevented from entering the country’s airspace … and the attack caused limited damage,” Iran’s military joint staff said in a statement.
