Iran’s foreign minister holds talks with Saudi, Pakistani officials after response to Israeli actions in Lebanon

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks late Sunday and early Monday with senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and France on regional developments following Iran’s military response to what Tehran described as Israeli ceasefire violations in Lebanon. Iran’s Islamic Students News Agency (ISNA) reported that Araghchi spoke by phone with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir shortly after Iran launched multiple missile barrages toward northern Israel following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs that killed at least two people and injured 11. ISNA later reported that Araghchi also held separate phone calls with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. The talks addressed regional developments and Iran’s response to what it described as repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire on the Lebanese front, according to the agency. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said early Monday that Araghchi also spoke by phone with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al Saud. The two ministers discussed the Iranian armed forces’ response to what Tehran described as violations of the April 8 ceasefire agreement and continuing Israeli actions against Lebanon and the wider region, the ministry said. The Iranian attack marked the first such bombardment since the fragile ceasefire took effect. Pakistan has played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington since the outbreak of the Iran-US conflict on Feb. 28. A temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but negotiations later stalled amid disputes over its implementation and subsequent regional developments.