(Web Desk/Agencies): China is ready to play a constructive role in easing the current situation between Pakistan and Iran, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
“We hope both parties can exercise restraint and calmness and avoid escalation. If they need, we are ready to play a constructive role in easing the situation”, spokesperson Mao Ning said during her regular briefing.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson hoped that both parties would resolve their disputes through consultations and dialogue.
In response to some reports that China was mediating between Iran and Pakistan, she said, “We hope both parties can exercise restraint and calmness and avoid escalation. If they need, we are ready to play a constructive role in easing the situation.”
Mao Ning said that the Chinese side always believed that relations between countries should be handled based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter and international law.
“And, we think all parties should respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries,” she added.
Responding to a question about the current situation between Pakistan and Iran, she said,
“We are paying great attention to this. China always believes that relations between countries should be handled based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law.”
“Sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected and protected,” she added.
Mao Ning remarked that Iran and Pakistan were close neighbours and countries with influence.
On January 17, Pakistan warned Iran of serious consequences after Tehran violated its airspace claiming the lives of two Pakistanis and injuring multiple others.
"Pakistan strongly condemns the unprovoked violation of its airspace by Iran which resulted in the death of two innocent children while injuring three girls," Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement in the aftermath of the attack.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Pakistan struck terrorist hideouts in Iran’s Siestan-o-Baluchistan province, a day after Iran violated the country’s sovereignty.
“This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran. A number of terrorists were killed during the Intelligence-based operation – codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’,” confirmed FO in a statement.
Later, military's media wing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also stated that Pakistan Armed Forces, in the early hours on Thursday, carried out effective strikes against hideouts during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) inside Iran, used by terrorists responsible for recent attacks in Pakistan.
“The precision strikes were carried out using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons. Maximum care was taken to avoid collateral damage,” it added.
The statement said that the hideouts used by terrorist organisations namely Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front were successfully struck in an intelligence-based operation (IBO), code name 'Marg Bar Sarmachar'.
The military’s media wing said that the targeted hideouts were being used by notorious terrorists including Dosta alias Chairman, Bajjar alias Soghat, Sahil alias Shafaq, Asghar alias Basham and Wazir alias Wazi, amongst others.
“Pakistan Armed Forces remain in a perpetual state of readiness to ensure safety of Pakistan citizens against acts of terrorism.”
“Our resolve to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan is respected and safeguarded against any misadventure, remains unwavering. We reaffirm our determination to defeat all enemies of Pakistan with the support of the people of Pakistan,” the statement said.
“Going forward, dialogue and cooperation is deemed prudent in resolving bilateral issues between the two neighbouring brotherly countries,” the ISPR said.
