Pakistani journalist: Pakistan backs Saudi Arabia, voices dismay over Iran's actions

Journalist Abdulrahman Hayat has said that Pakistan remains committed to the Islamabad memorandum but is dismayed by Iran’s actions, particularly concerning the Houthis, and affirms its support for Saudi Arabia’s measures.

Speaking in a call on Al Arabiya FM, Hayat added that Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to supporting efforts to ease regional tensions and is working with other mediators to find a formula for understanding that could lead to solutions. He noted that the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington is seen as a key basis for both the US and Iran to return to negotiations.

He went on to say that for the past 10 days, Pakistan has not taken the kind of concrete steps it previously did to maintain the diplomatic track and support the peace process, as it is now dealing with Iran in a completely different manner. As a result, the recent visit of Iran’s interior minister to Islamabad failed, as he did not receive any Pakistani statements supporting Iran’s position.

Hayat continued that Pakistan has taken a firm stance and warned Iran-backed Houthi militias against targeting Pakistani commercial vessels. Strong statements have been issued by Pakistan affirming its support for Saudi Arabia in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He added that Iran has lost Pakistan’s sympathy due to Tehran’s failure to uphold peace and the memorandum of understanding, which took Islamabad more than three months to broker.

It is worth noting that Iran has repeatedly carried out attacks against Gulf states despite regional efforts to contain the US-Iran conflict. Iran’s actions have put mediators in a difficult position after it challenged de-escalation efforts and violated the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States through Pakistani mediation, which was intended to pave the way for 60 days of negotiations covering all outstanding issues between Iran and the US.

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