Pakistan examining US sanctions on Iran

Islamabad (Defapress)-Foreign ministry spokesperson Muhammad Faisal, while responding to a question at his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday said Pakistan respects international legal mechanisms but would prefer its own interests first.

'Pakistan is examining the implications of these sanctions,” he said.

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, France, Britain, China, and Russia) plus Germany signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015.

The US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal on May 8, and also re-imposed the economic sanctions on Iran despite the fact that the country was abiding by the deal in letter and spirit.

Muhammad Faisal to another question said that Pakistan is ready to make all efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan supports an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

Referring to growing Pak-Russia relations, Muhammad Faisal said Pakistan and Russia have been successful in building a strong partnership which is based on mutual respect, commonality of interest and convergence of views on important regional and global issues.

“The two countries have held joint editions of two military exercises in Pakistan in 2016 and in Russia in 2017. Pakistan Navy ship ASLAT visited port of St. Petersburg recently to participate in Russia's Navy Day celebrations last month,” he said.

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