The Media Line: Pakistan Accuses Israel of Threatening US-Iran Peace Efforts 

Pakistan Accuses Israel of Threatening US-Iran Peace Efforts 

By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line 

[ISLAMABAD] Pakistan on Friday, November 6, identified Israel as a potential obstacle to a lasting peace agreement between the United States and Iran, accusing the Israeli government of pursuing expansionist policies that fuel regional instability and undermine diplomatic efforts. 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks during his weekly press briefing in Islamabad, responding to a question about countries that could obstruct negotiations between Washington and Tehran. 

Khan suggested that other countries could also interfere with the peace process but said he was certain that “peace in the region is certainly not in Israel’s interest.” 

He attributed much of the Middle East’s instability to “Israel’s unwarranted and expansionist actions,” accusing Israel of pursuing aggressive policies toward Iran, the Palestinians, Syria, Lebanon, and other neighboring countries. 

Khan reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to facilitating negotiations between the United States and Iran, emphasizing that Qatar and other regional countries were also working to prevent further escalation. 

He said Pakistan would continue its diplomatic efforts because regional peace served not only Islamabad’s interests but also those of neighboring countries and the wider international community. He stressed that a lasting settlement required “political dialogue and diplomacy, not war.” 

Pakistan and Qatar played central roles in mediating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Washington and Tehran on June 17 and publicly announced the following day. 

The agreement called for an end to military operations and established a framework for further negotiations on sanctions relief, Iran’s nuclear program, and restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The arrangement has remained fragile, with disagreements over implementation and renewed military activity complicating efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement. 

On Friday, President Donald Trump said US forces had conducted limited strikes against Iranian air defenses near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, adding to concerns about further escalation. 

Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said Saturday that mediation between Washington and Tehran was continuing and that significant progress had been made toward a possible agreement, despite remaining differences. 

Khan said the June understanding demonstrated Pakistan’s diplomatic ability to bring Washington and Tehran together after decades of limited direct communication. He maintained that negotiations, rather than military confrontation, offered the only viable route to lasting regional stability. 

The spokesperson also reiterated Pakistan’s support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling for an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

He urged an immediate end to Israeli military operations in Gaza and unrestricted humanitarian assistance for Palestinians. 

Khan also reviewed the October 23 meeting of the R4 foreign ministers from Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt in Istanbul, followed by discussions with their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. 

The meetings addressed the US-Israel conflict with Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, developments in Yemen, and threats to maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el Mandeb, and other major shipping routes. 

The participating ministers called for diplomatic solutions, de-escalation, and continued negotiations to prevent further regional conflict. The R4 ministers also reaffirmed their support for the Islamabad agreement and efforts to achieve a lasting settlement between Washington and Tehran. 

Israel has not issued a public response to Khan’s specific allegations. Earlier in the week, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon denied that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressuring Washington to resume strikes against Iran, saying Israel would support the US decision on how to proceed. 

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