Pakistan's Defense Minister: Iran has not asked us for military assistance, but we are ready to support

Afghan Voice  Agency (AVA) - International Service: In an interview with Al Jazeera, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif emphasized that the Israeli regime's attacks have gone beyond Palestine and have now also targeted Yemen and Iran. He called these attacks "war crimes" and called for their immediate cessation.

 

Referring to America's unwavering support for Israel, he described the country as "a supporter of a rogue regime" and said that Washington should stop this support and play a more effective role in stopping the aggression. Asif also stated: "We must help Iran through diplomacy. Iran has not asked us for military assistance, but if the situation escalates, we will react."

 

The Pakistani Defense Minister continued by emphasizing the need for the Islamic world to confront the threats of the Israeli regime, and called on Arab countries to stop supporting this regime and listen to the will of their peoples.

 

He also said: "The Zionist regime has nuclear weapons but has not joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This regime has no right to target Iran's nuclear facilities, which are under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran's right to have a peaceful nuclear program is reserved."

 

Khawaja Asif, rejecting any diplomatic relations between his country and Israel, emphasized: "We stand with our brothers in Iran and are ready to support them in international forums. Israel is a law-breaking and illegitimate regime, unless the path to establishing a Palestinian state is achieved according to the two-state solution."

 

In recent weeks, and especially after the massive Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, various countries, including Russia, Turkey, Qatar, and China, have called for restraint and a reduction in tensions. Pakistan is one of the few Islamic countries that has explicitly supported Iran against Israel verbally, without being drawn into military or security alliances.

 

According to experts, the Pakistani Defense Minister's stance in explicitly supporting Iran is an unprecedented step in the country's foreign policy. He called the Zionist regime a "rogue" and its attack on Iran and Palestine a "war crime." This stance is a clear sign of Islamabad's political-security solidarity with Tehran. Pakistan's emphasis on Iran's right to have a nuclear program effectively establishes Iran's defense legitimacy. While Israel has shied away from its nuclear commitments, Iran operates under the supervision of the Agency.

 

Despite Tehran's lack of request for military assistance, Islamabad has spoken of its readiness for diplomatic support in international forums. This stance could be seen as part of the emergence of a new axis in the Muslim world against Israel and its supporters. Pakistan has also implicitly called for a review of Islamic countries’ relations with Israel. The warning against escalation also serves as a soft deterrent against further Zionist aggression.

 

Pakistan’s open support suggests that the project of isolating Iran has failed and Tehran’s regional legitimacy has been strengthened. In this context, Israel’s actions risk escalating the regional conflict and accelerating the strengthening of the anti-Zionist front.