Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged global powers to play a decisive role in mediating a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, emphasizing the tragic nature of the ongoing conflict. Speaking at a cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of what he termed Israeli aggression against its neighbor and brotherly country, Iran.

Prime Minister Sharif confirmed that both the Foreign Office, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and he personally have denounced the overt aggression by Israel. He stressed the urgency for international powers to exert full efforts for a ceasefire, noting that he had spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the very first day of the conflict. In his conversation with the Iranian President, Prime Minister Sharif conveyed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the Iranian people, praying for peace to prevail as the situation poses a severe threat not only to regional stability but also to global peace.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come as Tehran continues its retaliatory attacks, dubbed ‘Operation True Promise III,’ following Israeli strikes on June 13th that targeted multiple Iranian military and nuclear facilities, resulting in casualties among military leadership, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Twenty countries, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, have condemned these Israeli attacks and urged restraint from targeting Iran’s nuclear installations, emphasizing respect for states’ sovereignty, territorial integrity, good neighborly principles, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

During the cabinet session, Prime Minister Sharif also addressed the heartbreaking situation in Gaza, where over 50,000 Palestinians, including children, women, and doctors, have been martyred. He expressed shock at the ongoing brutality in Gaza and questioned when the international conscience would awaken. The Foreign Minister is scheduled to attend an OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Turkey, where discussions on this critical issue are expected to take place.