Zarif: Iran ready for mediation between India, Pakistan

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed the need for India and Pakistan to exercise restraint after the recent tensions, voicing Tehran's preparedness to play a mediatory role to resolve differences between the two countries.

Zarif made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday, adding that Tehran was ready to work with Islamabad and New Delhi to help resolve their differences through dialogue.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated dramatically since February 14, when Indian paramilitary forces on the New Delhi-controlled side of Kashmir were hit by a deadly bomb attack orchestrated by Pakistan-based militants.

The tensions reached a peak on Tuesday, when India’s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said his country had conducted “preemptive” airstrikes against what it described as a militant training camp in Balakot near Kashmir, shortly after the Pakistani military accused New Delhi of violating its territory in the Kashmir region.

According to an Indian government source, some 300 militants, were killed in the strikes.

Pakistan said on Wednesday it had shot down two Indian military jets and captured two of their pilots after the aircraft breached its airspace.

Iran, which has extensive diplomatic and trade ties with both countries, has advised them against escalating the situation.

The Iranian foreign ministry on Wednesday once again expressed concerns about increased tensions between India and Pakistan, calling on both countries to exercise restraint.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran invites the two important and influential countries of this sensitive region of the world to show patience and restraint and adopt necessary measures to solve problems peacefully and use all diplomatic tools in an optimum way to end the tensions given the complicated regional conditions which seem volatile so much that might lead to increased instability, insecurity and foreign meddling," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said.

Iran had also on Tuesday said that India and Pakistan should exercise restraint and resolve tensions peacefully after New Delhi conducted airstrikes against what it called a militant training camp in Pakistani territory.

Tehran “calls on the two countries of India and Pakistan to (exercise) restraint and make more efforts to reduce tensions and peacefully settle the existing differences and problems through dialog,” Qassemi said.

As a victim of terror, Iran believes that the only way to fight terrorism and extremism is bolstering all-out cooperation among all countries in the world without any discrimination, the Iranian spokesperson pointed out.

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