Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Khan has said that it is the country’s “consistent belief that the only way to settle the situation in the region, conclusively and comprehensively, is through diplomacy, dialogue and negotiations”.

He made the remarks during a UN Security Council meeting called by Bahrain.

“From the outset, Pakistan has maintained a principled position with respect to the inadmissibility of any use of force outside the bounds of international law – the unwarranted strikes against Iran and those targeting the GCC countries. Pakistan has been categorically condemning attacks against the GCC countries and once again expresses its full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Bahrain and Kuwait,” it said.

“Pakistan’s leadership remains engaged with the parties, our partners and the regional countries. We continue to facilitate dialogue and confidence-building measures to prevent any escalation and to sustain the diplomatic engagement,” he said.

“From our perspective, the fact that the talks are continuing and the parties are on the negotiating table is a significant positive outcome. The channels of communication remain open, and we are persisting in our efforts geared towards ushering peace, security and tranquility that benefits the entire region and all countries without exception,” he added.