Emergency UNSC meeting called to discuss Iran-Israel war
The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting today at the request of Iran.
According to Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the emergency meeting, supported by Pakistan, China, and Russia, is being scheduled this afternoon, New York time.
The development comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the recent U.S. strikes in Iran during a telephone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, warning that the attacks posed a serious violation of international law and risked further escalation in the region.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office, the premier expressed deep concerns that the U.S. strikes had hit facilities protected under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling the move a breach of both international law and the IAEA Statute.
'These attacks followed Israel's unprovoked and unjustified aggression over the past eight days,' the Prime Minister said, while reaffirming Pakistan's unwavering solidarity with the brotherly people and Government of Iran.
He also extended condolences over the loss of lives and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
40 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Opposition leaders in Iran call on Khamenei to step down after US strikes
The leaders of two prominent Iranian opposition factions on Sunday urged supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down and spare more bloodshed, in the wake of unprecedented American attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the shah ousted by the 1979 Islamic revolution, and Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the People's Mujahedin (MEK), which is outlawed in Iran, said in separate statements that Khamenei must quit after over a week of war between Iran and Israel. The whereabouts of Khamenei, who has led the country since 1989, are unclear after Israel refused to rule out killing him. The strikes on the Islamic Republic's three nuclear sites are the result of the regime's catastrophic pursuit of nuclear weapons at the expense of the Iranian people. Ali Khamenei and his crumbling terrorist regime have failed the nation. As Khamenei considers how to respond… — Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) June 22, 2025 Opposition groups claim he is deep underground in a bunker and incommunicado except with a group of his closest aides. "Now Khamenei must go," said Rajavi, saying that Khamenei's "unpatriotic project" had now "all gone up in smoke". "No to appeasement, no to war and yes to regime change -- changing the religious dictatorship by the Iranian people and the Iranian resistance," she said. Pahlavi, who is the figurehead for supporters of the ousted Iranian monarchy, said "the only sure way to achieve peace is for this regime to now end". "As Khamenei considers how to respond from his underground bunker, I say to him: For the sake of the Iranian people, respond by stepping down," he said. In another statement, 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, who remains inside Iran on leave from a prison sentence, called Iran's government a "religious, authoritarian, and misogynistic regime". Bur she said she strongly opposed the "devastating and ruthless war" and urged both sides to accept an "immediate ceasefire". "I firmly believe that democracy and peace will not emerge from the dark and terrifying corridors of war and violence," she said. The series of US strikes against Iran "devastated" its nuclear programme, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday, while insisting that Washington was not seeking to oust the clerical leadership.
Express Tribune
40 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan rejects reports of US strikes via its airspace
Listen to article Pakistani authorities strongly rejected claims circulating on social media suggesting that the country had permitted the United States to use its airspace or territorial waters for military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling the reports "completely false and baseless." The denial comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The strikes targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — according to US President Donald Trump, who announced the operation on his Truth Social platform. According to the state television PTV, some Indian media outlets have amplified allegations that US B-2 bombers and warships passed through Pakistani territory to reach Iranian targets—claims officials in Islamabad dismiss as deliberate disinformation. 'These reports are part of a broader pattern of false narratives, particularly pushed by certain quarters in Indian media,' a senior government source told Reuters. اسرائیل ایران جنگ سے متعلق چند اہم فیکٹ چیک؛ حقائق اور پاکستان کا اصولی موقف کیا ہے؟ — PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) June 22, 2025 In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) condemned the US attack, labelling it 'a serious violation of international law' and expressing concern about further regional escalation. 'Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter,' the MOFA said, urging all parties to respect international law and protect civilian lives and infrastructure. The government reiterated its longstanding position of neutrality in regional conflicts and called for restraint and diplomacy. Officials confirmed that Pakistan has not entered into any new military cooperation related to the Iran-US conflict and no request for operational access has been made by Washington. 'Pakistan maintains a policy of non-involvement and supports dialogue as the only sustainable path to peace,' the statement added. Authorities urged both the media and the public to verify all information through credible and official channels, cautioning against the spread of unverified and potentially dangerous misinformation. In contrast, US B-2 stealth bombers reportedly used Indian airspace to carry out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to regional sources cited in multiple reports on Sunday. Read: US B-2 bombers used Indian airspace to attack Iran's nuclear facilities Sources claimed the US Air Force's strategic bombers departed from Guam Island in the western Pacific, passed over the Andaman Sea, and then traversed central Indian airspace before reaching their strike zone near Iran via the Arabian Sea. The route reportedly covered coordinates including 15°N, 145°E (Guam), through 10°N, 95°–100°E (Andaman Sea), crossing 20°N, 75°–80°E (central India), and reaching the vicinity of 25°–30°N, 60°–65°E (near Iran's borders). Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also strongly condemned the recent US military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling them a serious violation of international law. He conveyed Pakistan's position during a telephone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The US strikes followed eight days of what Pakistan termed as Israel's "unprovoked and unjustified aggression." 'The Prime Minister expressed deep concern that the US attacks had targeted facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),' the statement said. 'These attacks constituted a serious violation of international law and the IAEA Statute,' he was quoted as saying. Washington enters Iran conflict US forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said in a televised speech late on June 21 and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace. The US strikes included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top US general, General Dan Caine, said was named "Operation Midnight." After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military invasion against its major rival Iran is a major escalation of the assault and risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East. "A short time ago, we carried out massive precision strikes on three nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime," he announced. Also Read: Tehran vows self-defence with 'all force' after US strikes three nuclear installations The strikes were a spectacular military success," Trump said in the White House televised address. "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the US military strike on its nuclear facilities, calling the action an unprecedented breach of international law and a grave violation of the UN Charter. In a statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran accused the United States of a 'brutal military aggression' against its peaceful nuclear infrastructure. Tehran held Washington fully responsible for what it called a 'heinous crime' and warned of 'dangerous consequences' stemming from the attack.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
US urges China to dissuade Iran from closing Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on China to encourage Iran to not shut down the Strait of Hormuz after Washington carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Rubio's comments on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo" show came after Iran's Press TV reported that the Iranian parliament approved a measure to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global oil and gas flows. "I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil," said Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser. Iran's top security body to decide on Hormuz closure, Press TV reports "If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries' economies a lot worse than ours." Rubio said a move to close the strait would be a massive escalation that would merit a response from the U.S. and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately provide comment. U.S. officials said it "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites using 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft. The strikes mark an escalation in the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict. Tehran has vowed to defend itself. Rubio on Sunday warned against retaliation, saying such an action would be "the worst mistake they've ever made." He added that the U.S. is prepared to talk with Iran.
