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Is Pakistan Ready to Heed Khamenei's Call for Muslim Unity Against Israel?

21:27, 4 October 2024

Muhammad Sharif

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed the religiously significant Friday prayers, emphasising Muslim unity against Israel following the recent missile attacks.

Sputnik

In the geopolitically charged situation, what stance will Pakistan take as an Islamic country with nuclear capability, neighbour of Iran, and strategic ally of the United States?

Given its involvement in the Afghanistan war, its connection with proxies there, and joint exercises and arms contracts as an ally of China in the region, will Pakistan provide Iran with Shaheen-III missiles to bolster its ideologically aligned neighbour, or will it adopt a neutral position?

In August, following the assassination of a Hamas leader on Iranian soil, which Tehran attributed to Israel, tensions escalated. At the time, rumours were circulating foreign media suggesting that Pakistan was considering supporting Iran against Israel by supplying Shaheen-III missiles.

However, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar denied this, stating that his country would support all efforts to prevent an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East amid growing fears of a wider confrontation involving Israel and Iran.

“Pakistan is not likely to be drawn into this conflict at the demand of anyone. However, sharing missile technology is not a trivial matter; it has serious implications. Therefore, I don’t believe that Pakistani missiles can ever be handed over to any country or used against anyone (except India) unless attacked by another country”, former Defence Secretary and Lt. General Naeem Khalid Lodhi told Sputnik India.

He added that Tel Aviv would not dare to target Pakistan and that Islamabad has never threatened Israel, while regarding the ongoing discussions about the Shaheen-III as a fabrication and sign of naivety.

“While Pakistan shares an ideological affinity with Iran, its foreign policy is driven by national interests, prioritizing the protection of its borders and people. Rejecting involvement in conflicts or alliances, Pakistan has always emphasized diplomacy and conflict resolution”, Arhama Siddiqa, political expert associated with the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), told Sputnik India.

Pakistan has consistently called for restraint and de-escalation in the ongoing Middle East conflict, condemning Israel’s actions, she concluded.