“India Cowardly Imposed a War on Pakistan Violating all Humanitarian Laws and Laws of War.” Asserts Pakistani Ambassador to Iran

Since the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the relations between these two neighboring countries have been fraught with tension and conflict. The dispute over Kashmir, which both countries claim its ownership of, has led to four major wars between the two countries. In spite of temporary ceasefires, this region remained the scene of sporadic clashes. On April 22, 2025, a terrorist attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian-controlled Kashmir, which led to the killing 26 tourists, reignited tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad. The Indian government held Pakistan-based terrorist groups responsible for the incident and in response launched a military operation called “Operation Sindoor”, which targeted positions in Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. This action prompted a strong reaction from Islamabad and has brought tensions between the two nuclear powers to an alarming level. Meanwhile, Iran, a country with historical relations with both sides, has proposed mediation to reduce tensions. In order to review bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan and recent developments in the region, we have conducted an interview with the Pakistani ambassador to Iran, which you can read below:

AVA Diplomatic’s Exclusive Interview with

Mr. Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Iran

The Pakistan India situation has become very volatile. What is your opinion about it?

In the wake of the Pehalgam incident, India is threatening peace and regional stability. Immediately after the attack, it implicated Pakistan without any evidence and it has launched a war hysteria against Pakistan. Pakistan has taken lots of diplomatic measures and India has complicated regional environments, suspended Indus water treaty, the backbone of agriculture in Pakistan which will affect 240 million people. Pakistan has asked for fair and partial investigation into Pehalgm incident but India has refused to accept that. Iran has offered mediation and Pakistan has welcomed that offer. Pakistan wants to de-escalate the tensions but it is India that is escalating tension and is threating to perpetuate to inflict a huge damage to Pakistan and I believe that BJP, which is a Hindu Nationalist Party has expansionist designs of Hindu Ideology and Hindu belief system epitomized by Modi. So it is a very precarious moment, we want peace and stability to prevail, we want de-escalation but if escalation occurs, then Pakistan will respond with full force.

What key developments have occurred in the recent military conflicts between the two countries, and what are their probable consequences?

Right after Pehlgam incident, India implicated Pakistan immediately without any proof. Pakistan even offered impartial investigation into the incident. Even Iranian Foreign Minister offered mediation and was kind enough to visit Pakistan recently. India cowardly imposed a war on Pakistan violating all humanitarian laws and laws of war. It attacked civilian centers in which at least 26 Pakistanis were martyred and several sustained injuries .Indian air force, while remaining within Indian space, has violated Pakistan’s sovereignty using standoff weapons, targeting civilian population across international border in Muridke, Sialkot and Bahawalpur, and across line of control in Kotli and Muzafarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan Army responded fully to the Indian aggression and destroyed several Indian check posts and a brigade headquarter from where India was violating LOC ceasefire.

Pakistan Air Force successfully shot downed fighter jets and one drone in response to the airstrike. The downed aircraft included three Rafale jets, a MiG-29, a Su- 30, and an Israeli made Heron drone. Important thing is, not a single Pakistani aircraft crossed into Indian airspace. At the time of Indian assault, several national and international flights were into operations within Pakistani airspace. India put lives of thousands of passengers into risk. 

Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and warned that any aggression will be met with a decisive response. The international community, especially global aviation and water rights organizations should immediately notice India’s provocations, posing a serious threat to regional peace.

What measures has Pakistan put on its agenda to reinforce political and security cooperation with the administration of President Pezeshkian in Iran?

Thank you so much. Let me start by saying that Iran is a great country. I am deeply impressed by the political, economic, social and cultural system and its range of power in the region. President Pezeshkian came at a very critical moment and he is leading his country to a great deal of thoughtfulness and a remarkable manner.

So, how do we want to deepen the economic and political and security ties? We have a lot of mechanisms. Importantly, our prime minister and president Pezeshkian have met several times at the latest international forums. They remain engaged through telephone conversations with each other. Similarly, the deputy prime minister of Pakistan and Foreign Minister Araghchi hold regular phone conversations.

Of course, in a recent telephone conversation between the Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Foreign Minister of Iran, the two sides discussed the latest developments related to bilateral relations.

Two phone conversations in the last one week. It was not an explanation but a brief which is something different. Foreign Minister Araghchi was in Pakistan a couple of months ago and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Ishaq Dar, was also in Mashhad a couple of weeks ago.

So, at the political leadership level, there are regular consultations. Then we have institution mechanisms. One mechanism is bilateral political consultations. This is led by the foreign secretaries of the two countries. We have regular meetings of the bilateral political consultation mechanisms.

We will have a joint economic commission. We are hoping its meeting will be held within a couple of months.

Has the time of the next Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation been determined?

It happens in the next three months.

Has the agenda for the next meeting of the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation between the two countries been specified?

No, we are discussing the agenda but of course the main one is economic and trade cooperation.

How is the level of security cooperation between Iran and Pakistan now? What areas are there to expand security cooperation between the two countries?

I am going to explain. The secretary interior of Pakistan who is the head of the security of the civilian side was in Iran about two months ago. He had a meeting with the deputy minister of interior of Iran.

Similarly, our security agencies are in touch with each other.

Some separatist groups in the border areas of the two countries are carrying out terrorist and violent acts, including the killing of eight Pakistani citizens. Given these circumstances, to what extent have Iran and Pakistan been able to effectively control these security threats?

Let me make an argument by saying that security is a much broader perspective. There is a regional dimension and there is a global dimension. So I would not say that it is one factor. To understand security and terrorism, we have to take a broad view of the region. What has happened in the region for the past thirty forty years? What are the issues in the borders and so on? I think that in the past few months, the cooperation has really intensified and the need is to create more trust between both nations and societies and agencies.

As a matter of fact, it can be said that the security organizations of the two countries are pursuing a joint fight against terrorism.

Yes, they are both active and I think this is very good. We need to have more exchanges and more honest discussions.

What do you mean by more exchanges and more honest discussions?

I mean we have to understand the regional difficulties. It is a very complex region. The geography is very complex. What are the real challenges? What challenges are confronted by Iran and what challenges are confronted by Pakistan? With a greater understanding, we can have more cooperation.

The separatist group “Balochistan Liberation Army” has taken responsibility for the killing of eight Pakistani workers in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province. What measures have Iran and Pakistan taken to confront these terrorist groups?

I told you, we have to deepen cooperation; we have to share information in a timely manner. That is very important. Iran and Pakistan have both condemned that attack. Pakistan has maintained the investigation should be carried out. The results of the investigation should be shared with us. Those who are involved must be brought to justice. I again emphasize that cooperation between two states is very important to deal with these monsters.

You did not explicitly state whether Pakistan has concluded that this terrorist group was responsible for the killing of those eight Pakistani citizens or not.

It is affiliated that BLA has taken the responsibility. They have publicly said that they are responsible for it. They did it through social media. I do not confirm it or deny it. I am saying what they have said themselves.

How do you evaluate the role of Iran and Pakistan in establishing stability in Afghanistan? What role do you see for Iran and Pakistan in the future of Afghanistan?

The future of Afghanistan has to be decided by the people of Afghanistan but Afghanistan is our very important neighbor. We are part of one region. I think peace, development and security of Afghanistan and similarly the promotion of peace, development and security of Iran and Pakistan is everybody’s concern and everybody’s goal. I think we should all make efforts to make sure that the terrorist groups are dismantled. Then treaty cooperation can be created between the three countries.

From the viewpoint of His Excellency, how does the Taliban seizing power affect the developments of the region? 

It is quite evident. You have seen that Pakistan has been threatened by TTP (Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan). So, that is a huge concern for us. When we look at the series of terrorist incidents that have happened, we or other regional countries know that TTP was backing these terrorists.

How do you assess the role of the Taliban in establishing stability in the region?

I just want the Middle East to be secure, to be progressive and to be enlightened. Any entity which believes in that purpose is good for the region.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, recently led a delegation to Kabul for the first time since assuming office. To what extent can this visit pave the way for broader dialogue between the two countries in the security and economic areas?

Of course the deputy prime minister was in Afghanistan just three or four days ago. I think that was a very important development. He met with the political leadership of Afghanistan. I think that was a very important step. We also want de-escalation of tensions. As I told you, we want peace, stability and development. We are part of this geography. So, I think that was a very good step. We will certainly support all those efforts.

Some media outlets are presenting this analysis that Pakistan played an influential role in the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan. What is your opinion on the veracity of this claim?

I will not go into everything which is said by the media. I am an ambassador. I represent the state of Pakistan and the things that I know are very important. I am part of the delegation. Media is very sensational. Media also says many things about Iran. Should I start saying what the media says about Iran? I do not want to get into the debate about what the media says about Iran. So, I will not like Iranians to speculate on Pakistan otherwise I have twenty things to say about Iran.

To what extent the opening of the Pishin-Mand border market and inauguration of the electricity transmission line from Iran to Pakistan, can be a model for the development of joint economic cooperation between the two countries?

I strongly believe that the economic destiny of both Iran and Pakistan is linked. We have a border of about 900 kilometers. The logistical supply chain can be excellent between both countries. I personally believe that strong economic linkage between Balochistan and Sistan and Baluchestan can be good for the entire region. It can also be very effective in dealing with terrorism. We have signed some MOUs about developing projects between both provinces. I think that is very important and what is required is the sustained economic engagement between Iran and Pakistan.

What was the volume of bilateral trade between Iran and Pakistan last year? How has this figure changed compared to previous years? What are the main export and import items between the two countries?

It is about three billion dollars. It has increased significantly in the past three four years. We want to take it up to ten billion dollars in the next few years but I think the potential is much larger than that. In terms of what Pakistan is exporting to Iran, it is banana, mango, kinnow and rice. These are our primary exports to Iran and Iran is exporting LPG, bitumen and chemical products to Pakistan. We are discussing signing an FTA (free trade area). If that is done, I think that will be a very good development for both countries. We are also discussing barter trade agreements. There are complex technical details that take time but from my point of view as the ambassador, I think in the next ten years, the trade volume between the two countries will expand a great deal.

Do you have any statistics on the volume of trade exchanges in the border market between the two countries over the past year?

Actually it is much less than the expectations. The reality is that the area is a remote area. I think primarily the purpose of this market was to support local people. The real strength of cooperation between Iran and Pakistan lies in whole things. In agricultural commodities we can do a lot for Iran. We can export corn to Iran. Iran buys three billion dollars of corn from South America. Pakistan produces world class corn. So, there are huge potentials. We are supplying chilled meat, bananas, kinnows, and mangoes and so on. Iran is supplying LPG, bitumen and chemical products. So, while supporting these local markets, the greater need is to have sustained economic engagements for a long term between Pakistan and Iran.

What agreements are there between Iran and Pakistan about lines of credit and banking and foreign exchange operations?

That is something we have discussions about.

The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project has not been fulfilled for more than 10 years and a part of that needs to be completed inside Pakistan. Is there a positive horizon for the completion of this project?

I always say one thing. The Iran-Pakistan pipeline is just one project between the two countries. Our trade is growing every year and in the next ten twenty years, our trade will have reached, I think, five six times bigger than what we are doing now. So I think from an Iranian perspective, it is very important to understand that the Iran-Pakistan (IP) Gas Pipeline is just one project. Commercial projects are sometimes extremely difficult. I do not want to go into a long debate. Iran is doing trade with many countries. Sometimes Iran goes into legal lawsuits. The larger thing between Pakistan and Iran is to have more political trust, diplomatic trust and security cooperation. This geopolitical environment is very sensitive. Both countries are historically linked with each other. Our populations have very deep historical linkages. So, it is very important to amplify that relationship rather than just looking at the IP Project. On this project, I can tell both Pakistan and Iran are engaged and our negotiations are going in the right direction.

What consultations have been carried out by the officials of the two countries in regard with strengthening industrial cooperation between Iran and Pakistan?

Iran’s industry is in a very good shape. Iran produces electrical appliances and some motor vehicles. Iran has a very sophisticated oil and gas infrastructure. There is a lot we can learn from Iran. Even in pharmaceuticals, Iran is doing quite well.

In the recent meeting between Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and Mr. Abdul Aleem Khan, Federal Minister for Communications of Pakistan, the importance of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) Transport Corridor was emphasized. Given the potential of this strategic route, what role will the ITI Corridor play in strengthening economic and transit cooperation between Pakistan, Iran, and Türkiye?

We are discussing it. It will take a bit of time for operation. We are very keen to expand this project. It is a huge project and will take time.

We want to be part of that corridor if Iran can provide access to Europe and many parts of the world. We would love to be part of that corridor. That is why we are playing a very important role in ECO. We think that ECO provides connections across the region and Pakistan wants to be at the center of this connectivity.

Through Iran, we are sending our products to Türkiye and many other countries. Actually, we are part of the corridor.

To exchange professors and students between the universities of Iran and Pakistan, what agreements have been made so far?

There are thousands of Pakistani students studying in Iran. I think that is a very good development. We have recently appointed a professor named Zahid Munir in the University of Tehran. He is professor of Urdu literature. I want more cultural ties between both countries. And of course I want more Iranians to go to Pakistan because we need to introduce our culture, our history and our traditions. It can only be done when there are more academic exchanges. It is now at a low level but I want to expand it.

How many Iranian students are currently studying in Pakistani universities and higher education institutions?

 I have no idea. I think the Iranian ministry knows it.

Despite the cultural and civilizational background of Iran and Pakistan, the level of tourism interactions between the two countries is not in a favorable state. What measures have been taken In this regard by the authorities of the two countries to facilitate tourists exchange between the two countries?

I think something needs to be done with the mindset. We need to change the mindset. There is a weird stereotype in understanding Iran and Pakistan. Iran and Pakistan are great countries. Our cultures and traditions are very rich. Iranian tourists visit many regional countries. It is very important if they explore Pakistan. I think through the media we need to create a new momentum and a new sentiment about the power of cultures of both countries so that people can get closer to each other. The relationships between colleges and universities and cities can also help. In the past, we saw each other through the western media landscape. We need to see ourselves from our own historical perspective. Such a thing can create a lot of understanding between both cultures. You are right; Pakistan has not been able to explore the potential of tourism. Iran is such a remarkable historical country but not many Pakistanis come. I want more and more Pakistanis to come to Iran. This is an area where both governments need to focus more.

How many Pakistanis, through Iran, go on a pilgrimage to holy shrines in Iraq every year?

It is two to three hundred thousand every year.

Which sports have higher potentials for expanding interaction and cooperation between the two countries? Also, how can sports diplomacy help strengthen bilateral relations?

Pakistani students recently organized cricket matches in the universities. It was about three four months ago. That was a good beginning to introduce cricket in Iran. Certainly we have to expand sports diplomacy and have more exchanges but right now there are not many exchanges in this regard. I think, in future, we should focus on this area.

What is your assessment of the process of negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America? As you see it, how promising is the future of these negotiations?

We have already believed that negotiations, diplomacy and engagement are the best solutions because in this case we can avoid conflicts and wars. It is important to promote peace, development and security in the region.

I have great faith in the leadership of Minister Araghchi. He is a very seasoned diplomat. So far from what I am reading through Iranian media and statesmen, personally, I am quite hopeful that some positive things may come out of these negotiations and I think Iranian leadership also plays a very critical role in making this success. On behalf of Pakistan, I wish peace and stability prevails in the region.