Iran's top diplomat is in Pakistan to mediate in escalation with India
over Kashmir attack
[May 05, 2025]
By MUNIRB AHMED and MUHAMMAD YOUSAF
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Iran’s foreign minister was in Pakistan on Monday to
try and mediate in the escalation between Islamabad and New Delhi after
last month’s deadly attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled part of
Kashmir.
Abbas Araghchi's visit was the first by a foreign dignitary since
tensions flared in the wake of the April 22 massacre of 26 tourists,
which India blames on Pakistan. Tehran has offered to help ease tensions
between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pakistan's military has been on high alert after Cabinet Minister
Attaullah Tarar cited credible intelligence indicating that India could
attack. Pakistan has denied any role in the massacre of mostly Indian
tourists, and offered to cooperate with a credible international
investigation. India has so far not accepted the offer and several world
leaders have urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid further
escalation.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is due to meet with Araghchi,
welcomed mediation to defuse the tensions with India. Since last week,
Dar said he'd spoken to over a dozen foreign dignitaries, including U.S.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov.
“We will not be the first to take any escalatory step,” Dar said in
Islamabad, but added that he had warned the international community that
should there be “any act of aggression by India, Pakistan will
resolutely defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
He accused the Indian air force of attempting to breach Pakistani
airspace on April 28. Pakistan scrambled aircraft and forced Indian jets
to turn back, he said. There was no immediate comment from India on
those claims.
Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its
entirety. The two countries have fought two of their three wars over the
Himalayan region and their ties have been shaped by conflict, aggressive
diplomacy and mutual suspicion, mostly due to their competing claims
over Kashmir.
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Supporters of Muttahida Qabail Federation party burn a rendition of
the Indian flag and poster with the picture of Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi during a demonstration in Quetta, Pakistan, Sunday,
May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Arshad Butt)
The latest flare-up led the two countries to expel each other’s
diplomats and nationals, as well as the shuttering of airspace.
On Monday, Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar led a
group of journalists to the mountain village of Bella Noor Shah,
near Muzaffarabad — the main city in the Pakistan-administered
Kashmir — where he said New Delhi had falsely claimed the presence
of a militant training camp.
Residents of the village told reporters they had never seen any such
camp in the area.
“It is clear there is no truth to the Indian claim,” Tarar said.
Also Monday, Pakistan’s military said it test-fired a short-range
missile, the second such test launch after a medium-range missile on
Saturday.
The military said that the Fatah surface-to-surface missile has a
range of 120 kilometers (75 miles) and was launched from an
undisclosed location. Such missiles are never fired toward India,
and usually end up reaching the Arabian Sea or the deserts of
southern Balochistan province.
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Yousaf reported from Muzaffarabad, Pakistan.
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