The head of Iranian diplomacy declared Tuesday that Tehran opposed a military escalation in the region but “would certainly respond” to the deadly strike launched on October 26 by Israel against his country.
During an official visit to neighboring Pakistan, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the Israeli attack on Iranian military bases and other installations, which resulted in the deaths of at least five people, most of them members of the security forces.
“Unlike the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek escalation. However, we reserve our inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter,” he said. said at a joint press conference in Islamabad with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq. Dar.
“We will certainly respond to Israeli aggression in a timely and appropriate manner, in a very measured and well-calculated manner,” Araghchi said without elaborating.
Israeli military aircraft carried out the October 26 strikes, claiming they were in retaliation for Tehran’s missile barrage on October 1. Iran has described its military action as a response to the killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guard commander.
On Sunday, Iranian state media quoted President Massoud Pezeshkian as saying that a possible ceasefire between its regional allies and Israel “could affect the intensity and type of” Iran’s response to the Israeli attack .
Dar said Tuesday that during talks with his Iranian counterpart, both sides condemned “unbridled Israeli aggression” in the Middle East and stressed the urgent need for a “ceasefire” and “de-escalation.” “.
Gas pipeline
Araghchi said that during his meetings in Islamabad, he also highlighted the need to strengthen political, economic, trade and energy cooperation between Iran and Pakistan. He described terrorism as a mutual threat to both countries and called for enhanced cooperation.
The two foreign ministers, however, did not discuss the status of a long-stalled, multibillion-dollar pipeline intended to export Iranian natural gas to energy-starved Pakistan.
The United States opposes the plan, considering it a violation of its sanctions against Iran over its nuclear and ballistic programs.
Under a 2009 gas sale and purchase agreement for the cross-border pipeline, the Iranian side is to supply Pakistan with up to 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day from Iran’s South Pars field. But the project has since been suspended.
Iranian officials have long announced that the 900-kilometer pipeline is complete on their side of the border. Pakistani officials say they have not started building their part of the pipeline for fear of facing U.S. sanctions.
Tehran has been pressuring Islamabad to uphold its part of the project or pay a financial penalty of up to $18 billion for any delays.
Pakistan recently retained two US-based law firms to represent the country before the International Court of Arbitration in anticipation of a potential situation in which Iran could compel Islamabad to fulfill its obligations under penalty financial sanctions.
This decision follows the final announcement made by Tehran in Islamabad in August before requesting arbitration from the Paris-based body.
