Islamabad(WNAM Report): “Pakistan has adopted a cautious approach towards the ongoing conflict in the Middle East”, said Dr. Qamar Cheema Executive director of Sanobar Institute of Islamabad. He was speaking to a webinar organized by Institute or Regional Studies on Iran-Israel military conflict.
Dr. Cheema argued that Iran had broken the myth of Israel’s invincibility. “At the societal level, Iran has amassed huge public support”, he further claimed. Dr. Cheema highlighted that despite attacking Israel, it was logistically very difficult for Iran to further continue the retaliation. Dr. Cheema further elaborated that the Middle Eastern region didn’t want to become the hostage of Palestinian issue, instead the Arab states would welcome any step towards normalization with Israel.
Dr. Cheema analyzed that if Saudi-Israel normalization would take place, it wouldn’t adversely impact the recently concluded Iran-Saudi rapprochement. While clarifying, Dr. Cheema said that the Iran-Israel confrontation was not seen through international legal perspective and western states didn’t condemn the Israeli aggression over Iranian embassy in Damascus.
Mr. Afzal Reza, the bureau chief of Iranian news agency, IRNA, in Islamabad, accussed that since October 7 attack, Israel had been provoking Iran to expand the conflict. He boasted that Iran’s attack on Israel was a punishment and it broke the hoax of Israel’s deterrence. While stressing on de-escalation,
Mr. Reza claimed that no state wanted war, however, Israel’s strategy was to encircle Iran through befriending its neighbours.
Mr. Reza pointed towards the dual standards of international community by outlining that UNSC didn’t condemn Israel’s aggression against Iran nor did IAEA take any steps against Israeli (cyber) attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Mr. Fraz Naqvi, the In-charge of Iran Program at IRS, concluded that growing Indo-Israel cooperation could provide a space for a greater Pak-Iran collaboration. He commented that de-eacalation was on the table which could be further strengthened through the positive role of external and global actors.
