ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Monday Iran was willing to engage in “diplomatic dialogue” if Israel stopped its military offensive, as the conflict between the two regional rivals entered a fourth day with no sign of de-escalation.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday called on US President Donald Trump to force Israel to cease fire as the only way to end the four-day-old aerial war, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was on the “path to victory.” Meanwhile, Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities, while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defenses with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes.
Speaking during a session of the upper house of Pakistan’s parliament, Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, said he had been in direct contact with Araghchi since the fighting began on June 13 when Israel launched strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and senior military leaders.
“He said we will respond to this [attack by Israel] but right now, we are preparing and if Israel does not attack again after our response, we are ready to come to the table for a diplomatic dialogue,” Dar told the Senate. “Then as a neighboring Muslim brotherly country, we passed this on through different channels that there is still time that if the other side [Israel] stops, Iran is ready and if we facilitate them.”
