Pakistan Vows to Keep Iran-US Channel Open, Presses Both Sides to Honour Islamabad MoU
Foreign Office says Islamabad remains a mediator as it also clarifies its stance on US sanctions against Tehran
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File photo: Pakistan Secretariat buildings in Islamabad against the Margalla Hills. Photo: Usman.pg, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
“Pakistan is a responsible member of the international community and adheres, and shall continue to adhere, to all applicable sanctions regimes in accordance with international and domestic laws,” Khan said.
Dawn described this as a cautious shift. Before that, then-spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had said, “About trade with Iran, Pakistan is following international law and our bilateral trade agreements with Iran.” The newspaper also noted that Khan did not spell out what Islamabad means by “applicable”, and it said the government has not announced any pause in trade with Iran nor any decision to join the US sanctions drive.
Balancing two relationships
Khan paired the sanctions remarks with a reassurance to Washington, saying, “Pakistan highly values its enduring and multifaceted strategic partnership with the United States and remains fully committed to further strengthening its long-standing diplomatic, economic and security ties with Washington.”
Islamabad, he said, remained in “constant and constructive communication with all relevant stakeholders”, according to Dawn.
