Middle East cannot afford war, says Pak FM Qureshi

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that rising tensions in the Middle East was not in anyone's interest, adding that the region could not afford war.

"The region cannot afford war. It is not in anyone's interest and will impact the global economy," Dawn news quoted Qureshi as saying in a statement.

Qureshi's remarks came on the same day Tehran launched missile strikes on the Ain-al-Asad military base in Iraq housing US troops and a Washington-operated airbase in Erbil in retaliation for the January 3 drone attack that killed Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.

The Minister further said that he had been in touch with his counterparts in the region.

"We are also endeavouring to ensure that tensions in the region remain in check.

"Pakistan does not want tensions to escalate. This region cannot witness yet another war.

"Such matters need to be resolved through dialogue. The UN security council and the international community needs to play a role in resolving tensions in the region," he added.

On Monday, Qureshi, while briefing the Senate on tensions in the Middle East, made it clear that Pakistan would not become party to the regional conflict, adding that Islamabad's "soil will not be used against any other state". IANS