Key Takeaways
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar emphasized the importance of uninterrupted energy supplies during a call with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
- The two agreed to maintain close cooperation and meet in New York during the UN General Assembly.
- Concerns over disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab have intensified due to Houthi attacks.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted the critical importance of uninterrupted energy supplies and safe passage of ships during a conversation with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday.
The Foreign Office (FO) stated that the discussions also covered regional developments, with Dar emphasizing the need for dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace and stability.
The call came amid growing concerns over disruptions to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, two key maritime routes for global trade and energy supplies.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, condemned Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in Bab al-Mandab and called for their immediate cessation.
Ambassador Asim linked Pakistan’s stance on maritime security to its diplomatic efforts following the hostilities between Iran and the United States.
Last week, the Foreign Office described the situation around the Bab al-Mandab Strait as 'exceptionally serious' and called for addressing the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Iran’s interior ministry stated that efforts were underway to resolve outstanding issues and return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed between Tehran and Washington in June.
The fragile ceasefire had collapsed in July after attacks on commercial ships in the Hormuz strait, with the US and Iran trading strikes for 13 consecutive days.
