ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: The Foreign Office has opted for a guarded position on the European Union-Iran standoff after the latter threatened to go ahead with its nuclear enrichment programme. Foreign Office Spokesman Naeem Khan when asked about Pakistan’s position on this issue on Thursday merely reiterated Islamabad’s support for the EU-Iran negotiations.

“We support the EU-Iran negotiations, particularly as we do not want to see a new crisis building up in our region,” he told this correspondent. The spokesman refused to go into other aspects of the matter, saying: “It is up to the negotiating parties to work out the details of the settlement.”

While publicly Pakistan is keeping a low profile on the matter, privately officials concede that it is a ‘worrisome development’, which could have grim ramifications for Pakistan as Iran’s neighbouring country.

They say the row is being closely monitored by Islamabad, which believes it could lead to an alarming situation. Meanwhile, it is being said that Tehran’s ‘defiance’ could result in possible military or economic sanctions against it by the United Nations Security Council. In worst case, a pretext for another US-led military invasion.