ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday emphasized the importance of “dialogue and diplomacy” to defuse the escalating military conflict between Iran and Israel during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which both sides discussed a broad range of issues.
The phone call came amid continuing hostilities between Iran and Israel, which began after Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities last Friday, leading to the killing of several top commanders and nuclear scientists.
Iran responded with retaliatory missile strikes, causing significant damage inside Israel and raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Israel’s attack came while Iran was engaged in negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. Subsequently, Washington supported Israel’s action, saying Iran could not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
There has also been speculation the US could become more directly involved in the Israel-Iran conflict, though President Donald Trump’s administration has not announced how it plans to deal with the situation in the coming days.
