Ishaq Dar, Iran’s Araghchi Discuss Regional Tensions, Energy and Shipping

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with the two discussing the latest developments in the region.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Dar stressed the importance of maintaining uninterrupted energy supplies and ensuring the safe and expeditious passage of ships, citing the potential impact on developing countries and global supply chains.

He also stressed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable means of ensuring peace and stability in the region.

The two ministers agreed to remain in close contact and to meet in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

The conversation comes against a wider backdrop of tensions across the Middle East, with Iran, the United States and Gulf countries facing interconnected security and economic challenges.

The Red Sea and wider shipping routes have remained a major concern because attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement in recent years have disrupted commercial shipping and prompted international military responses. Saudi Arabia, which shares a border with Yemen, has also remained closely involved in efforts to reduce regional tensions and secure its borders.

At the same time, Iran’s relations with the United States remain a central issue for regional security, with diplomacy and negotiations periodically accompanied by heightened tensions. Any disruption to shipping or energy supplies involving the Gulf and surrounding waterways can have consequences well beyond the region because of the importance of Middle Eastern energy exports to global markets.

Pakistan has sought to maintain diplomatic engagement with Iran while also stressing the importance of regional stability and uninterrupted trade and energy flows.