Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday, in a phone call with his Bahraini counterpart, reiterated Pakistan’s call for de-escalation and dialogue for stability in the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.

Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbour, has been embroiled in a war with the United States and Israel since the latter’s February 28 strikes that assassinated its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliation for the strikes, Iran resorted to targeting neighbouring countries, which house US bases, including Bahrain.

According to a statement by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar spoke with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani last night, and the two “exchanged views on the developments in the Middle East and the wider region, conveying grave concern over recent attacks, including in Bahrain”.

FO added that during the call, Dar “reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with Bahrain and its people”.

He also underscored the need for “de‑escalation, dialogue, and efforts for peace and stability in the region”.

A day earlier, a strike targeting Bahrain’s sprawling Al Ma’ameer oil facility caused a fire at the complex along with material damage, state media reported. Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has said that the “unprecedented attacks” by Iran “cannot be justified”.