Tehran: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei says Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi's recent visit to Tehran did not involve any special message from Pakistani leaders, while stressing that Islamabad continues to seek a mediating role in Iran-US issues.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Baqaei addressed reporters in a weekly press briefing, stating that Iran-Pakistan exchanges are routine between the two neighboring countries. Naqvi traveled to Tehran at the invitation of Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, with discussions focusing on bilateral relations and regional developments. Baqaei noted that Pakistan is seeking to use its capacities to facilitate dialogue, emphasizing that the issue of negotiations between Iran and the United States holds importance for Islamabad due to Pakistan's role in shaping the Islamabad memorandum. He criticized repeated US breaches of commitments, saying they had undermined mediation efforts, similar to past experiences with Oman.
Baqaei also mentioned that Iran would pursue environmental damages resulting from US and Israeli acts of aggression and decades of military activity in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. He argued that the environmental damage in the region extends beyond recent conflicts and has accumulated over decades of foreign military presence and wars. The consequences, he asserted, affect all countries bordering the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and require collective responsibility. Iran plans to pursue the issue, calling for accountability from the United States and other parties involved in military interventions.
On the topic of Iran-Afghanistan relations, Baqaei described the recognition of the Taliban's caretaker government as a legal and political issue. He assured that Iran and Afghanistan maintain good relations in various fields due to their shared border, religion, history, and culture. Regardless of the recognition issue, Tehran intends to continue and strengthen relations with Kabul in economic, commercial, and other areas.
Responding to recent European statements concerning human rights in Iran, Baqaei criticized European countries for lacking the moral standing to lecture Iran on human rights. He pointed out European inaction regarding the situation in Palestine and their positions toward US and Israeli aggressions against Iran, arguing that such statements reflected double standards.
Furthermore, Baqaei addressed a recent dispute involving two French embassy staff members in Iran, stating that their reported involvement in activities described as supporting Iranian civil society constituted a violation of diplomatic norms and the Vienna Convention. The French ambassador was summoned, and Iran formally protested the activities. The two individuals subsequently left Iran and would not be allowed to return. Baqaei concluded that Iran's Foreign Ministry had fulfilled its responsibilities and that other Iranian institutions would express their positions when deemed appropriate.