ISLAMABAD, NOV 5: 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.