ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and 19 other countries on Tuesday issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s military attacks on Iran as a violation of international law, while calling for a nuclear-free Middle East and a return to diplomacy following a comprehensive ceasefire and de-escalation.
The statement came after Israel launched surprise airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities on Friday, in the middle of Tehran’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with Washington.
Israel and Iran traded missile fire for a fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump warned Tehran residents to “immediately evacuate” and cut short his participation at a G7 summit in Canada.
The US Defense Department confirmed the redeployment of “additional capabilities” to the region, with the USS Nimitz leaving Southeast Asia amid reports of its new Middle East mission. The Chinese embassy in Tel Aviv also urged its citizens to evacuate Israel immediately.
Amid these developments, 20 countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Qatar and Oman, voiced a “categorical rejection” of Israel’s military action and warned of its destabilizing implications.
