Pakistan slams US strike on Iran day after nominating Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
Pakistan, which shares a 900-km border with Iran, said that these attacks “violate all norms of international law” and that Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself
A day after recommending President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive diplomatic intervention” during last month’s India-Pakistan conflict, Pakistan on Sunday (June 22) “flayed” the US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling them a violation of international law and warning of the risk of further escalation of violence in the region.
The US on early Sunday morning attacked Iran's Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites with the aim of destroying the country's nuclear programme. US President Trump warned of additional strikes if Iran retaliates.
Expresses grave concern
Reacting to the development, the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan in a statement said: “Pakistan condemns the US attacks on the nuclear facilities of Iran, which follow the series of attacks by Israel. We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region.”
Also read | Trump’s attack on Iran, a ‘spectacular’ failure of US foreign policy
Pakistan, which shares a 900-km border with Iran, said that these attacks “violate all norms of international law” and that Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter. “The unprecedented escalation of tensions and violence owing to ongoing aggression against Iran is deeply disturbing. Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond,” it said.
The Foreign Office further said: “We emphasise the imperative need to respect civilian lives and properties and immediately bring the conflict to an end.” It proposed a dialogue among the stakeholders to address the crises in the region.
“All parties must adhere to international law, particularly international humanitarian law,” the FO said. “Recourse to dialogue and diplomacy in line with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter remains the only viable pathway to resolve the crises in the region,” it said.
Owaisi’s jibe at Pakistan
Meanwhile, soon after the US bombed Iran’s nuclear sites, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi took a swipe at Pakistan, saying that “we must ask Pakistanis if they want US President Donald Trump to get a Nobel Peace Prize for this feat”.
As Islamabad voiced concern about the escalation in the Middle East, Owaisi said, “We should ask Pakistanis if they want Trump to get the Nobel Peace Prize for this. Did their General (Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir) have dinner with Trump for this?”
The AIMIM chief told news agency ANI that a bogey of Iran having nuclear weapons has been created. “The same thing was used in Iraq, nothing came out, the same thing was used in Libya, nothing came out,” he said.
“The attack on Iran’s three or four nuclear sites (by the USA) in the morning is a violation of international law, United Nations Chapter, NPT. It also violates the United States Constitution because it says without Congressional permission, the country cannot fight,” he told PTI.
Pak lauds Trump’s efforts
Interestingly, the Pakistan government on Saturday said it will formally recommend US President Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive diplomatic intervention” during the recent India-Pakistan conflict. The announcement came three days after the US President hosted Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir at the White House.
Also read | Trump-Munir meeting a setback for democratic forces in Pakistan
“The Government of Pakistan has decided to formally recommend President Donald J Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis,” it said.
Tensions between India and Pakistan increased following a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, which left 26 people dead.
India, after finding cross-border links to the attack, launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 and struck terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan then launched a massive missile and drone attack, but the threats were thwarted. In retaliation, Indian forces struck airfields in Pakistan. A ceasefire on May 10 ended the hostilities.