Pakistan urges IAEA to take clear position on Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to clearly state its legal position on last week's Israeli strikes targeting nuclear facilities in Iran while highlighting their grave implications for regional and international security.
The call came during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Friday, after Israel launched airstrikes about a week ago that killed several senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, triggering a direct military confrontation between the two countries.
Israel's attacks came as Tehran was engaged in negotiations with the United States to reach a nuclear agreement. Iran has repeatedly stated it has no intention of building nuclear weapons but will not surrender its right to a peaceful nuclear program or halt uranium enrichment activities.
Israel, however, contends that Iran is close to developing a bomb. The United States has backed Israel in the conflict and called for Iran's 'complete surrender,' insisting Tehran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Pakistan, in its remarks to the Council, reiterated its condemnation of Israel's 'unjustified and illegitimate aggression,' describing the attacks on nuclear facilities as 'deeply troubling.'
'It is the responsibility of the IAEA to clearly pronounce its legal position with regard to such attacks as well as to report to its Board of Governors and to the Security Council about the legal, safeguards, safety and security implications of such attacks,' Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told the Council.
'The Agency should fulfil that responsibility,' he added.
The Pakistani envoy also denounced Israel's widening war in the Middle East, including in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. He maintained that Tel Aviv's attack on Iran had further inflamed an already volatile regional situation.
Ahmad also said the UN Security Council must act decisively to halt Israel's military actions and prevent the situation from spiraling further.
He urged the Council to categorically reject Israel's actions, promote de-escalation and support a comprehensive ceasefire.
The Pakistani envoy further called on the Council to denounce the targeting of nuclear facilities safeguarded by the IAEA, pointing out that diplomacy must remain central to resolving the Iran-Israel crisis.
'Dialogue and diplomacy in full adherence to the principles of international law and the UN Charter remain the only viable path to resolving the crisis,' he said. 'This Council must unite in support of the Secretary-General's call to end the fighting and return to dialogue and negotiations.'
Ahmad also stressed that the IAEA must be allowed to continue its verification work 'unimpeded,' and should operate in an 'impartial and apolitical manner' to ensure credible and objective reporting on matters under its mandate.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Israel-Tehran conflict cripples border trade between Pakistan and Iran
QUETTA: The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has crippled border trade between Pakistan and Iran, transporters and traders said this week, with markets closed and dozens of trucks stranded on the Pakistani side of the border. Pakistan shares a 959-kilometer border with Iran in its southwest and the trade volume between the two countries stood at $2.8 billion in the last fiscal year that ended in June 2024, according to Pakistani state media. In Feb., the two neighbors signed an agreement to take the bilateral trade volume to $10 billion, but tensions between Iran and Israel prompted Pakistan to suspend operations at the Taftan border crossing in Balochistan on June 15, mirroring the Iranian side's restrictions following Israeli airstrikes. 'We've been stuck here in Taftan for four to five days, with six to seven vehicles,' Syed Khalil Ahmed, a local transporter, told Reuters on Friday. 'We're waiting for it to reopen so we can load our goods. The market is closed, and there's a shortage of food and drinks.' Israel began attacking Iran on June 13, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. The Taftan border, a vital trade artery which typically handles daily exchanges in fuel, food and household goods, is now left paralyzed. Local traders said 90 percent of goods in Taftan typically come from Iran. 'With the border closed, no goods are arriving [from Iran] ... Local traders with Pakistani passports can't enter Iran, and Iranian passport holders can only reach the border and return,' said Hajji Shaukat Ali, an importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). 'This is hurting local businesses and traders. For us, as major LPG gas traders, some of our vehicles are stuck en route and won't be able to reach us now.' Ahmed said they were losing approximately Rs20,000 ($70) per truck daily while facing critical shortages of essential supplies. 'We're managing with what we have, but it's tough,' he added.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Netanyahu using Iran war to stay in power ‘forever': former US president Clinton
DUBAI: Former US president Bill Clinton said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been wanting to fight Iran for a longtime because that way he can stay in the office forever. 'Netanyahu has long wanted to fight Iran because that way he can stay in office forever and ever. I mean, he's been there most of the last 20 years,' the former president said during an appearance on 'The Daily Show'. Clinton said he called on US President Donald Trump to 'defuse' the current conflict between Israel and Iran, and end the 'outright constant killing of civilians.' 'But I think we should be trying to defuse it, and I hope President Trump will do that.' The former president said he does not think either Netanyahu or Trump want to trigger a full-scale regional disaster. He also emphasized the importance of the US protecting its allies in the region, while simultaneously advocating for restraint. 'We have to convince our friends in the Middle East that we'll stand with them and try to protect them,' he stated. 'But choosing undeclared wars in which the primary victims are civilians, who are not politically involved, one way or the other, who just want to live decent lives, is not a very good solution.' The US by far has stayed out of direct action in the conflict between Iran and Israel. But it has helped Israel shoot down missiles from Tehran and has supplied it with military equipment.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
South Korea's chief trade negotiator plans US visit June 22-27
South Korea's trade minister Yeo Han-koo will visit the United States from June 22 to 27, the trade ministry said on Saturday. The visit will include discussions with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and the third round of bilateral technical discussions, a ministry official told Reuters. Further details about the meetings were not disclosed. 'Since a South Korea-US summit has yet to take place and key ministers have not been appointed under the new administration, negotiations are likely to focus on areas that the trade ministry can manage - excluding major issues such as defense cost - sharing and exchange rates,' Heo Yoon, an economics professor at Sogang University, said. 'Given these circumstances, reaching a comprehensive agreement on key negotiation frameworks and agendas is expected to be challenging.' South Korea, which is currently facing a 10 percent blanket tariff and a 25 percent country-specific duty temporarily paused for 90 days, agreed with the US during initial trade negotiations in late April to craft a trade deal reducing tariffs by July 8. Asia's fourth-largest economy unexpectedly contracted in the first quarter amid US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs and domestic political unrest following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law decree in December.
