Pakistan on Sunday condemned the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities that followed a week of airstrikes by Israel, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned of more attacks in future if Tehran does not seek “peace.”
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office expressed grave concern at the potential escalation of tensions in the region following the American attack. “We reiterate that these attacks violate all norms of international law and that Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the U.N. Charter,” read the statement.
Describing as “deeply disturbing” the “unprecedented escalation of tension and violence” in the ongoing aggression against Iran, Islamabad warned that any further escalation would have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond.
“We emphasize the imperative need to respect civilian lives and properties and immediately bring the conflict to end. All parties must adhere to international law, particularly International Humanitarian Law,” it said. “Recourse to dialogue, diplomacy, in line with the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter remain the only viable pathway to resolve the crises in the region,” it added.
Trump’s claims
Addressing the nation from the White House after the attack, Trump claimed the U.S. strikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment plant and the Natanz and Isfahan facilities were a “spectacular military success.” Ignoring his previous vows to prevent America from entering another war in the Middle East, he claimed complete obliteration of Iran’s “key nuclear enrichment facilities.” Tehran, he said, “must now make peace.”
Threatening Iran with “greater and a lot easier” attacks if it refused to seek peace, Trump said American planes were on their way home after the strikes. Earlier, the U.S. president had claimed he would decide on whether to enter the war “within two weeks.”
Iranian media has confirmed that part of the Fordow plant as well as the Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were attacked. However, Trump’s claims remain under question, as independent media reports claim the attacks caused far less damage than believed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had initiated a conflict with Iran earlier this month, congratulated Trump on the strikes. “History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons,” he claimed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in a posting on X, slammed Washington’s attacks. Describing the assault as “outrageous,” he warned of “everlasting consequences.” Emphasizing that the U.S. had committed a grave violation of the U.N. Charter, international law and the NPT [Nuclear Proliferation Treaty] by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations, he warned “Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
Unconstitutional steps
In Washington, reactions aligned with political affiliations, with Republicans largely backing the attack and Democrats alleging constitutional overreach. “This war is Israel’s war, not our war, but Israel is one of our strongest allies and is disarming Iran for the good of the world,” said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch. “There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran,” he claimed.
“This is not constitutional,” said Representative Thomas Massie, stressing no approval was sought from Congress to declare war. “The president’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,” she added.