Pakistan’s envoy to Tehran: Time to turn ‘new leaf’ in bilateral ties
Pakistani Ambassador to Iran Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, who left for Tehran on Friday to resume his diplomatic mission, said that the time is ripe for turning a new leaf in bilateral relations. Tehran and Islamabad briefly halted their diplomatic ties after tit-for-tat attacks which led to the death of several people from both sides.
“In conformity with the sincere & good wishes of Pakistan’s leadership, I am en route to Tehran,” Mudassir Tipu wrote on his X account on Friday.
“Ever more determined to work for a more robust, stronger & peace-loving Pakistan,” he added.
“Strong Pakistan & Iran are critical for region & to promote historic people to people ties. Time to turn a new leaf.”
Iran and Pakistan announced Monday that their ambassadors would resume their duties after the two countries agreed to de-escalate tensions following an exchange of deadly strikes last week. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is also due to visit Pakistan on January 29, following an invitation from his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani.
The two neighboring countries witnessed an escalation of cross-border tensions over Iran’s counter-terrorism operations.
On January 16, Iran launched drone and missile attacks on two bases of Jaish al-Adl, an anti-Iran terrorist group that was formed in 2012, and has conducted several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years.
The Iranian strikes in Pakistan drew a sharp rebuke from Islamabad, which recalled its ambassador from Tehran and blocked Iran’s envoy from returning to Pakistan. Pakistan also carried out strikes against what it called bases of the separatist Baloch Liberation Front and Baloch Liberation Army in regions in Iran close to the border. Tehran condemned the attack as unacceptable and unbalanced and summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires over the strikes, which left at least nine people dead.