Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences through dialogue and good neighbourly principles during the holy month of Ramadan.
In a post on X, he said that Iran would be ready to support and provide any assistance in facilitating dialogue and strengthening understanding and cooperation between the two countries.
ALSO READ | ‘Open war’ between Pakistan and Afghanistan? 130 Taliban fighters killed; Pak defence minister makes an India connect
Saudi Arabia has also stepped in to mediate. The country’s foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar about the developments in the region and about ways to “ways to reduce tensions”, the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement posted hours earlier on X. Ishaq Dar is currently in Saudi Arabia for an official visit.
Early on Friday Pakistan’s forces carried out airstrikes in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktika close to the country’s long 2,600 kilometre long border with Afghanistan. Pakistan media reports claimed that about 130 Taliban fighters were killed in the attack. The Taliban has however denied that there were casualties in the attacks.
Analysts say that the Taliban is unlikely to fight a conventional war with Pakistan due to a significant military disparity in military capability, according to analysts who spoke to the BBC.
Taliban’s weapons, meanwhile, come from the former Afghan army, from foreign forces and the black market.
Pakistan, which is a nuclear-armed country ranked in the world’s top 15 in military strength. The Afghan Taliban lacked the same resources.
During past border clashes the Taliban mostly used light weaponry against Pakistani forces. However they are trained in guerilla warfare experts say.
Pakistan’s federal minister for information, Attaullah Tarar, said that the Taliban regime initiated hostilities and is now posting misinformation about the clashes.
Afghanistan is reportedly resorting to ‘deflect attention’ through “false and baseless propaganda” on social media after the latest strikes by Pakistan on its borders.
“These rumours have no connection with reality,” he said. He added that such narratives were being used to cover up the regimes’ embarrassment after they faced set backs.
Pakistan’s security forces also reiterated the same claim, saying that the false claims and fake videos were being circulated on social media by the regime.
Local officials of the Taliban government have alleged that Pakistani rockets were fired at a refugee camp in Nangarhar, which housed Afghan citizens who arrived in the country from Pakistan, the BBC reported.
At least nine people, seven women and two men, were reportedly injured in the attack.
Iran, Saudi Arabia offer to mediate Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict
