By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has urged the United States and Iran to pursue dialogue to ease regional tensions, rejected India’s criticism of international support for Kashmir, and said it remains open to talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities if they take credible action against militant groups operating from Afghan soil.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, outlining Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts on several regional security challenges, including the US-Iran conflict, tensions with India and worsening relations with Afghanistan.

Pakistan will continue its mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran and has urged both sides to exercise restraint, resolve outstanding issues through diplomacy and honour their commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the spokesperson said.

“De-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy are the only way forward,” he said, adding that Pakistan sees no benefit in further conflict in its neighbourhood.

Asked whether negotiations between the United States and Iran were currently taking place, the spokesperson did not confirm active talks but said both countries needed to negotiate and implement the provisions of the Islamabad MoU to restore regional stability.

Pakistan also reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening relations with Washington, describing ties with the United States as strong across trade, investment, diplomacy and security.

On Iran-related border disruptions, the spokesperson said he was not directly aware of the latest situation on the ground. He added that Pakistan remained in communication with relevant stakeholders and that religious pilgrims continued to travel across the border.

He said Pakistan would continue to comply with applicable sanctions regimes in accordance with international and domestic law, without elaborating on whether recent border restrictions were linked to sanctions.

- Pakistan rejects India’s criticism over Kashmir

On relations with India, Pakistan rejected New Delhi’s criticism of resolutions adopted at the 52nd session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers in Baghdad concerning Jammu and Kashmir.

The spokesperson said the resolutions reflected the OIC’s longstanding position and called for implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions on the disputed territory.

Pakistan urged India to respect the rights of Kashmiris and work towards a peaceful settlement in accordance with international law.

The spokesperson also expressed concern over an eviction notice reportedly issued against the historic Race Course Mosque in New Delhi, describing it as part of a broader pattern of pressure on Muslim places of worship and waqf properties. He called on the international community to urge Indian authorities to protect religious sites and minority rights.

Addressing concerns about the possibility of renewed conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours, he said Pakistan favoured a peaceful resolution of disputes, including Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty.

However, he said the possibility of another “false-flag operation” by India could not be ruled out. This was Pakistan’s assessment and was not accompanied by evidence in the briefing.

The spokesperson also said Pakistan was prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

- Pakistan links Afghanistan talks to action against militants

On Afghanistan, Pakistan said it remained willing to resume dialogue with the Taliban authorities but insisted that Kabul must take credible measures to curb threats from militant groups operating on Afghan territory.

The spokesperson said Pakistan had engaged with the Taliban bilaterally and through regional initiatives, including the Moscow Format and diplomatic efforts involving Qatar, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and China.

Those efforts had failed to produce an understanding, he said, because the Taliban authorities had not adequately addressed Pakistan’s security concerns.

“Pakistan is ready for dialogue and diplomacy,” he said, adding that talks would require an understanding that Afghanistan would curb terrorism and establish a credible mechanism to prevent cross-border militant threats.

The spokesperson cited UN monitoring reports and other assessments that, according to Pakistan, indicate the presence of more than 20 militant organisations in Afghanistan. He said the threats concerned not only Pakistan but also neighbouring countries, including China, Uzbekistan and Iran.

He also said more than 1,300 Pakistanis had been killed in terrorist attacks over the past year, underscoring the security challenges facing the country. The figure was provided by the Pakistani government.

Asked about Russia’s offer to facilitate dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul, the spokesperson said Pakistan valued its engagement with Moscow on Afghanistan but that no new initiative was currently on the table.

He added that Pakistan would welcome talks if the Taliban authorities were prepared to acknowledge the presence of militant groups and address the threats emanating from Afghan territory.

- Pakistan discusses regional security with partners

The briefing also covered Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement with regional and international partners.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Istanbul to attend meetings involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, alongside European partners. The discussions are expected to focus on regional security, Yemen, Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, maritime routes and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan reiterated its support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security and said it backed diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.

The spokesperson also addressed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, describing it as defensive in nature and consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognises the right to self-defence.

He said the agreement was not directed against any specific country and that the nature of assistance in the event of external armed aggression would be determined collectively by the three parties in accordance with its provisions.

Separately, Pakistan said a new defence-industry memorandum signed by Pakistan, Qatar, Türkiye and Indonesia would provide a framework for cooperation in manufacturing, research, technical training and technology transfer.

The spokesperson’s remarks reflected Islamabad’s effort to maintain diplomatic channels with major powers while pressing Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to address Pakistan’s security concerns and seeking to prevent further escalation across the region.