ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran have reached a mutual agreement for the return of ambassadors to their respective posts by January 26, 2024.
In a joint statement released on Monday, the Foreign Office announced that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian will visit Pakistan on January 29 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani.
Earlier, on January 17, Pakistan withdrew its ambassador from Iran, expressing dissatisfaction over what it termed a “blatant breach” of sovereignty after Iran conducted missile attacks on militant bases in southwestern Pakistan.
Subsequently, on January 18, Pakistan retaliated by launching strikes on terrorist hideouts inside Iran, targeting organizations such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) in an operation named “Marg Bar Sarmachar.”
These tit-for-tat strikes marked significant cross-border intrusions, causing concern about broader instability in the Middle East, particularly amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas that began on October 7.
In the context of the Gaza conflict, Iran and its militia allies have engaged in attacks on Israeli and US targets in the region in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the Gazan Health Ministry reported a somber update, stating that the death toll in Gaza from Israel’s conflict has now surpassed 25,000, with approximately 70 percent of the casualties being women and children.
The unfolding tragedy in Gaza casts a pervasive shadow over the region, with the recent 24-hour period witnessing a surge in casualties—178 Palestinians lost their lives, and 293 sustained injuries, emphasizing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the besieged area.
The UN chief expressed deep concern, describing the civilian killings in Gaza as “heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable.”
The Gazan Health Ministry anticipates a further rise in casualties and injuries as rescue efforts continue, with dozens still believed to be trapped under the rubble, according to Tehran Times report.
Homes, once sanctuaries, now crumble due to Israeli actions, leaving families shattered. In early January, Gaza’s media office reported that over 65,000 tons of bombs were dropped by Israel, causing approximately 33 percent of buildings in the entire Gaza Strip to be destroyed, according to satellite data cited by the Associated Press.
The United Nations estimates that nearly 85 percent of Gaza’s population, totaling 1.9 million people, have been internally displaced, and over 90 percent face acute food insecurity. The situation is exacerbated by a severe lack of aid entering the enclave, with one in four people in Gaza reportedly starving.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) highlighted the complexity of the humanitarian operation, labeling it one of the most challenging globally.
