Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian will visit Pakistan on Jan.29, while ambassadors of both countries will return to their respective posts on Jan. 26, Pakistan’s foreign office said on Monday as both countries move to de-escalate rising tensions after exchanging drone and missile attacks last week.
Tensions in the Middle East threatened to escalate beyond the region last Thursday when Pakistan conducted air strikes in a southeastern Iranian border village that reportedly killed nine people. Pakistan’s tit-for-tat strikes came two days after an Iranian drone attack Islamabad said killed two children in southwestern Pakistan. Iran said it had targeted militant bases in Pakistan.
Following Tuesday’s strikes, Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Tehran and barred Iran’s ambassador from entering Islamabad.
“Following the telephone conversation between the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, it has been mutually agreed that ambassadors of both countries may return to their respective posts by 26 January 2024,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
“At the invitation of Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, will undertake a visit to Pakistan on 29 January 2024.”
Iran and Pakistan share a 900-kilometer (560-mile), largely lawless border where smugglers and militants roam freely. Both countries have suspected each other of supporting, or at least behaving leniently, toward some of the groups operating on the other side of the border.
Pakistan last Friday announced its decision to restore diplomatic ties with Iran and expressed its willingness to work with Tehran on “all issues,” following a call between their foreign ministers.
On Monday morning, Saudi Arabia welcomed Pakistan and Iran’s move to de-escalate tensions and restore diplomatic ties.
