Israel’s latest strikes on Iranian targets and Tehran’s subsequent missile barrage have pushed the Middle East to the brink of a wider regional catastrophe.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, declared that the country is “changing the equation against Iran” and warned that “Tehran will burn” if retaliation continues.
His warning reeks of a shift toward deliberate provocation and strategic escalation. In effect, it reveals a broader objective: to isolate, provoke, and potentially involve other powers in an effort to neutralise Iran permanently. This dangerous posture, coming on the heels of years of settler violence, illegal occupation, and the ongoing siege of Gaza, exposes a doctrine of aggression cloaked as preemption.
Pakistan, to its credit, has taken a principled stance. At the UN Security Council, Islamabad’s envoy condemned Israel’s actions as “illegitimate aggression” and affirmed Iran’s right to respond. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif echoed these sentiments, expressing solidarity with Tehran while urging all parties to exercise restraint and avoid a full-scale war.
This call for restraint underscores a deeper truth: regional peace cannot be built on domination. Israel’s repeated attempts to redraw red lines–in Gaza, in Lebanon, and now with Iran–risk igniting a regional conflagration whose costs will be borne most heavily by countries like Pakistan and others in the Global South.
Silence is not an option. Oil prices have already spiked. Gulf states, home to millions of Pakistani workers, are jittery. Global supply chains are beginning to falter. Another prolonged war would push already fragile economies, including Pakistan’s, closer to collapse. But this is not only about economic blowback. It is about defending the principles of multilateralism, sovereignty, and international law.
The international response, particularly from Western capitals, has been tepid at best. The contrast is glaring: when Ukraine gets attacked, the world mobilises in hours. But when Tel Aviv strikes Damascus or threatens to “burn” Tehran, the global reaction is muted. These double standards are no longer sustainable, and they are no longer deniable.
Pakistan’s message must be clear: de-escalation is no longer optional. Iran must also show restraint. The region cannot survive another war triggered by red lines already erased through occupation, coercion, and silence. *