Pakistan reaffirms Middle East peace push amid renewed regional escalation

• Dar, Saudi FM express deep concern over fresh regional escalation and ceasefire violations

• Islamabad vows to advance peace through Islamabad MoU amid renewed Iran-US hostilities

• Iran strikes US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain after American attacks inside Iranian territory

• Saudi Arabia, Gulf states condemn attacks, warn against threats to regional stability

• Fresh tensions test Pakistan-brokered 14-point framework to end four-month conflict

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to advancing peace and stability in the Middle East as renewed military exchanges threatened to unravel the fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States, with both sides accusing each other of violating the Pakistan-brokered interim agreement signed less than two weeks ago.

The renewed escalation saw Iran launch missiles and drones at US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, while the United States announced fresh strikes on targets inside Iran. Separately, Israel said it had struck Iran-backed Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, deepening concerns over the durability of the regional truce.

Against the backdrop of the rapidly evolving security situation, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held an in-depth telephonic conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, during which the two leaders reviewed the latest regional developments and expressed deep concern over the renewed hostilities.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said both foreign ministers discussed the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.

Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 held a telephonic conversation today with His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. @FaisalbinFarhan

DPM/FM expressed sincere condolences on… pic.twitter.com/eWxhl5ZRj8

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 28, 2026

“FM Dar reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to continue working toward prevalence of peace in the region in pursuance of the ‘Islamabad MoU’,” the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan spearheaded an intensive diplomatic initiative, alongside Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other regional partners, which culminated in the signing of the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 18 to end the four-month US-Iran conflict and facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The interim agreement initiated a 60-day negotiating framework aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement on the future of Iran’s nuclear programme while immediately allowing Tehran to resume unrestricted oil exports as part of a major concession by Washington.

However, tensions have continued to mount after Iran insisted that commercial vessels comply with its navigation directives and warned that it could begin charging transit fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that previously handled nearly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas shipments.

The United States and Gulf Arab states have rejected Tehran’s position, maintaining that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway despite lying within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries strongly condemned Iran’s latest attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as actions they said threatened security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The Kingdom reiterates that these violations undermine international efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the region,” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also underscored on Saturday that the right to free maritime passage and freedom of navigation was “an absolute necessity” for the entire world.

Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its naval and aerospace forces had jointly launched missile and drone strikes against US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.

The operation came hours after US forces struck multiple Iranian military targets on Saturday, with Washington saying the attacks were carried out in retaliation for what it described as Iranian attacks on commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz.