• Pakistan condemns strikes on nuclear sites under IAEA safeguards; says agency’s verification mandate must not be disrupted
• UN chief warns escalating crisis poses ‘grave threat’ to global security

WASHINGTON: Paki­stan told the UN Security Council on Thursday that the breakdown of diplomacy in the Middle East further complicated the Iranian nuclear issue, as Secretary General António Guterres warned that the escalating crisis poses a “grave threat to international peace and security”.

Speaking at a UNSC briefing on the 1737 Committee, which monitors UN sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear programme, Pakistan’s permanent representative Asim Iftikhar Ahmad highlighted deep divisions within the council over nuclear-related sanctions on Iran.

“The council remains divided on the 1737 Committee issue,” Amba­ssador Ahmad said. “Unf­ortunately, this split is delaying the appointment of Chairs of the Subsidiary Bodies, significantly hindering their work.”

He stressed that disagreements over the committee “must not be allowed to obstruct the routine functioning of the council and its subsidiary bodies,” noting that the lack of agreement on a report “should have formed the basis of today’s meeting.”

The 1737 Committee, established under UN Security Council Resolution 1737 in 2006, is responsible for overseeing sanctions on Iran, reviewing reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The committee’s work includes reviewing compliance with the mandate, considering requests for exemptions, designating individuals and entities subject to sanctions, and reporting regularly to the Security Council. Disputes over its functioning, including procedural issues and appointments delays progress.

Suffering for civilians

The debate unfolded amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. In two separate tweets, Secretary General Guterres warned that the crisis “constitutes a grave threat to international peace and security” and has already caused “immense suffering for civilians”.

He cautioned that military escalation risks triggering a wider, uncontrollable conflict and urged all parties to pursue “de-escalation, dialogue and a return to serious negotiations”.

UN agencies have also sounded the alarm over the humanitarian fallout. They report that more than 1,100 children have been killed or injured, while millions face disrupted schooling and displacement.

Ambassador Ahmad said recent developments, including what he described as “unprovoked and unwarranted attacks on Iran”, had “deeply impacted the context of the Iran nuclear file”.

“Regrettably, the breakdown of diplomacy on the Iranian nuclear issue has further complicated an already complex matter that has been on a downward slide for the last few months,” he said.

Despite the current tensions, he emphasised that the fundamental principles of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the consensus adoption of Security Council Resolution 2231 remain valid.

Reiterating Pakistan’s opposition to the use of force, Amba­ssador Ahmad said Islamabad had “condemned all use of force, targeting of civilian infrastructure, and strikes on nuclear sites under IAEA safeguards”.

He warned, “Strikes against nuclear facilities carry huge environmental and safety risks for the local population and people all around the region.”

He underscored that the IAEA’s verification mandate must not be disrupted.

Referring to Security Council Resolution 2788 adopted last July, which highlighted the primacy of peaceful dispute resolution, he said the Council must “urgently revive the spirit of the Charter” to break the cycle of escalation that has repeatedly engulfed the region.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2026