Pakistan respects sovereignty, territorial integrity of all countries: President

“Pakistan would not compromise on its national security and territorial integrity and would take all necessary measures to defend its soil,” Alvi stated.

He called terrorism a “common challenge that required global efforts for its elimination”.

“Pakistan fully respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states and expected the same from other nations not to violate international law,” Alvi continued, adding that Pakistan and Iran are “brotherly countries and they needed to resolve issues through dialogue and mutual consultation”.

Pakistan announced it undertook a series of “highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes” against “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, killing a number of “terrorists”.

Earlier, deputy governor of the province Alireza Marhamati said ten non-Iranian nationals, including women and children, were killed in the attack.

The move came after Iran on Tuesday launched attacks in Pakistan targeting what it described as bases for the militant group Jaish al-Adl in the border town of Panjgur in Balochistan, prompting strong condemnation from Islamabad. Pakistan also recalled its ambassador and suspended high-level visits with Tehran.

Pakistan on Thursday said that Islamabad has “no interest in escalating any situation” with Tehran after the country’s military carried out strikes against “terrorist hideouts” inside Iran.

“Pakistan considers people of Iran as our friends and brothers and we have no interest in escalating any situation,” stated Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a news conference in Islamabad.

Baloch emphasized that Pakistan believes in dialogue and cooperation, adding: “We also believe that dialogue and cooperation is essential for confronting common challenges, including the menace of terrorism and we would like to continue to engage with all neighbors including Iran.”