PAKISTAN, along with like-minded states, seeks to resolve the catastrophic conflicts in the Middle East through dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation. However, the jingoistic statements by the leaders of Israel, the United States, Iran and the Houthis are alarming and suggest further regional destabilization with devastating consequences.

Presently, the continuation of three core conflicts in the region, i.e., the US-Israel-Iran conflict, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the civil war in Yemen, is affecting the international community. As the civil war in Yemen continues, Houthi militia attacks against Saudi Arabia are increasing, which worsens regional tensions. Likewise, closures of the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and the Black Sea are contributing to an international economic crisis.

The conflicting parties in the Middle East have three options: maintain the current position, escalate the conflict, or engage in dialogue. Neither stalemate nor escalation serves their interests or the international community’s, so Pakistani leadership is seeking to restore normalcy to the region. On October 20, 2026, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, made his fifth visit to Tehran and met with the Iranian leadership to seek conflict resolution. However, the chances of dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation remain limited. The international community is worried about the escalation of conflicts in the........

© Pakistan Observer