Iran on Tuesday warned that it will “certainly” respond to Israel’s latest attack in a “well-measured” and “well-calculated” manner.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a two-day official visit that includes consultations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

During today’s joint press briefing with Dar, Araghchi said, “Iran will certainly respond to the Oct 26 Israeli attack on appropriate time and manner, and in a well-measured and well-calculated way.”

Late last month, the Israeli military had launched strikes on military bases in Iran, targeting about 20 sites over several hours across Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran. Tel Aviv said the strikes were in response to attacks from “Iran and its proxies.”

Araghchi emphasised that Iran reserves its “inherent” right to “legitimately” respond to Israeli strikes in line with the United Nations charter.

He accused the “Zionist regime” of spreading terrorism from Gaza to Lebanon, adding that the international community has failed to halt Israel’s “genocide” of Palestinians.

Sharing a similar stance, Dar reiterated the two countries’ call for establishing an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Calling the Israeli strikes a violation of Iran’s sovereignty and international law, Dar affirmed solidarity with the Iranian people.

He said, “We reject the propensity by occupying powers to equate the right of self-determination with terrorism, which is nothing but a ploy to prolong their occupation and apartheid policies,” according to APP.

“The long-standing Palestinian issue and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, which are based on the denial of the right to self-determination, must be addressed through peaceful means, fully respecting the rights and aspirations of the affected populations, in line with relevant UN resolutions and the UN Charter.”

Joint strategy

Araghchi said the two nations are working on a joint strategy to present at the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Tehran, aiming to address the ongoing Israeli aggression.

The two sides also agreed to collaborate in countering terrorism, which Araghchi described as a “common threat” to both nations.

He praised Islamabad’s “consistent” support for Gaza and the Palestinian cause.

Earlier, Dar received Araghchi and his delegation at the Foreign Ministry, where both ministers underscored the importance of strengthening ties through increased trade, energy cooperation, and enhanced border management, according to a statement by the Foreign Office.

They expressed commitment to exploring avenues for enhanced trade, investment, and people-to-people contacts.

Both officials also discussed the Middle East situation, “strongly” condemning the Israeli aggression against Palestinians and affirming their support for the Palestinian right to self-determination.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday held a telephone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in which they expressed their “deep commitment and support for the people of Palestine and Lebanon”.

A post on X by the Foreign Office said the two diplomats discussed the situation in the two conflict-ridden countries subject to an Israeli military offensive.

The Saudi Press Agency said both also reviewed relations between the two countries and discussed regional and international developments

Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians since it began a year ago and has laid waste to the enclave.

The offensive began after a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, on southern Israeli communities in which 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Meanwhile, Israel’s latest fight with Hezbollah started when the group fired missiles at Israeli positions immediately after the Oct 7 attack. Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire ever since.

As months of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas went nowhere, Israel in September began ramping up its bombardment of Hezbollah and landed painful blows on the group, including remotely detonating Hezbollah pagers and radios, wounding thousands of the group’s members.

After Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah’s death, US President Joe Biden called again for a ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border.

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched its ground invasion anyway.

Its expanded operation has displaced more than 1.2 million people, according to Lebanon’s government, which says more than 2,100 people have been killed and 10,000 wounded in over a year of fighting. The toll includes scores of women and children.

Separately, a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued today said the seventh meeting of the Pakistan-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Bilateral Defence Industrial Forum was held in Riyadh on Thursday.

Pakistan’s tri-services delegation was led by Chief of General Staff (CGS), Lieutenant General Muhammad Avais Dastgir, whereas, Assistant Defence Minister Talal Bin Abdullah Al Otaibi led the Saudi Arabian side.

During the meeting, the CGS affirmed Pakistan’s continuing support towards the capacity building of the Royal Saudi Defence Forces.

The Saudi dignitary acknowledged Pakistan’s achievements and sacrifices in the war against terrorism and its valuable contributions towards regional peace and stability.

The forum’s participants discussed challenges to global and regional security and their implications for the Defence Forces.

They noted that rapid advancements in modern technologies necessitated further enhancing defence industrial cooperation in critical capabilities between the two allied countries.

In this context, the ISPR said that the progress of ongoing areas of collaboration was reviewed while new areas of collaboration were also agreed upon.