ISLAMABAD, March 21: Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri on Tuesday assured his Iranian counterpart Manocher Mottaki of Pakistan’s full diplomatic support on Tehran’s nuclear issue with the counsel that it must exercise restraint and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The assurance was held out when Mr Mottaki telephoned Mr Kasuri.

Advocating an amicable resolution within the IAEA framework through dialogue, Mr Kasuri cited Pakistan’s example, underscoring how it had fully cooperated with the IAEA on the nuclear issue. He emphasised the need to observe international legality and resolve issues peacefully, it is learnt.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office said the two ministers exchanged views on the latest developments with regard to the Iranian nuclear issue and also discussed matters of bilateral interest.

According to the statement, Mr Kasuri told the Iranian foreign minister that Pakistan would do its best diplomatically, underlining that it had already engaged with Iran, the United States, China and the European Union in this regard.

“He (Mr Kasuri) said that as a friend of Iran, Pakistan wanted the situation to be defused and that all concerned parties should play their role in achieving this objective,” the statement said.

Reiterating Islamabad’s position for a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue and support for the Iran-EU dialogue, the foreign minister stated that Pakistan was opposed to the use of force and favoured a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. In this context the efforts of China and Russia were also discussed.

Foreign Minister Mottaki extended an invitation to Mr Kasuri to visit Iran, which he accepted.