Pakistan closed border crossings with neighboring Iran indefinitely on Monday. This measure comes at the time of escalation of attacks between Israel and Iran, AFP reported, TASR writes.
According to AFP, the official operating on one of the passages said that “this prohibition does not apply to business activities”. Pakistani citizens who want to return from Iran can also cross the border. He added that approximately 200 Pakistani students are expected to return on Monday.
As the Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishak said on Sunday, a gift, 450 Pakistani pilgrims have already been evacuated from Iran and others will follow. Pilgrims also evacuate from Iraq, where there are other sacred places of Shiite Islam.
Pakistan was the only Muslim country with nuclear weapons last Friday with the government and people of Iran. He responded to Israeli attacks and recalled that neither Islamabad nor Tehran officially recognize the state of Israel.
Pakistani Minister of Defense Chaváda Ásif on Monday warned that “The world should be wary of Israel’s nuclear capacities”who has accused “not respecting any international nuclear agreement”. AFP recalled that Israel is considered the only nuclear power of the Middle East, but it does not officially confirm its nuclear arsenal.
Although speculation appeared in the media that Pakistan could support Iran in case of conflict expanding, Pakistani leaders emphasize that their country is only showing “moral and diplomatic solidarity”.
The majority Sunnis Pakistan has a common border with a majority of Shiite Iran with a length of more than 900 kilometers. Relations between these states have long been complicated for historical, religious and strategic reasons. Pakistan declares that it respects sanctions imposed on Iran by the international community, but often circumvents them in practice if it serves its strategic or economic interests.
