Pakistan on Thursday called on the United States and Iran to end their clashes and resume negotiations planned under the memorandum of understanding signed in June with the mediation of Islamabad.
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“Although the implementation of the MoU faces challenges, Pakistan will continue to encourage all parties to end the violence and resume technical discussions in accordance with the MoU,” Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, told reporters.
“We express hope for a rapid return to normalcy in the Strait of Hormuz and emphasize the importance of continuously guaranteeing safety, security and freedom of maritime navigation,” he added.
Clashes resumed on July 7 after attacks on ships in the Gulf, blamed on Iran. The strikes carried out since then are unprecedented since the April ceasefire, but oil and gas installations in the Gulf have so far been spared.
These shots shattered the memorandum of understanding signed in mid-June, which was to put an end to hostilities.
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Iran, which once again locked down the Strait of Hormuz last weekend, promised that this sea lane would remain closed until the end of American “aggressions”.
The return of hostilities has caused global oil prices to soar and raised fears of rising inflation.
In the Strait of Hormuz, a passage located in Iranian and Omani waters through which a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied gas (LNG) transited before the war, traffic became rare after the attack on several tankers.
Pakistan recognizes an “urgent need” to remedy a situation penalizing “global energy supplies” as well as “trade and food security”, according to Mr. Andrabi.
“Many countries, especially those in the South, are suffering the negative consequences of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.
