Despite Trump’s lunch for military chief, Pakistan stands firmly with China, Russia on Iran issue

United Nations: Pakistan stood firmly alongside China and Russia against the United States at the Security Council despite Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir’s hyped lunch with US President Donald Trump and the flurry of speculation about Islamabad and Washington getting closer.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar Ahmad on Sunday told the Council at its emergency meeting on Iran that Islamabad condemns “the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which come on the heels of a series of brazen attacks by Israel”.

Ahmad said that Pakistan, in collaboration with its all-weather friend, China and its ally, Russia, was circulating a draft resolution for the Council to adopt.

The Council convened, at the request of Iran, for an emergency meeting following the US bombing of three of its nuclear facilities.

Recognising that real power in Pakistan is with the military and not the civilian government, Trump hosted Munir at the White House on Wednesday, leading to speculation about Washington-Islamabad collaboration against Iran.

Ahmad said that the Council should “unequivocally reject and condemn the attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13, 2025, being in clear contravention of international law and the UN Charter.”

Israel started the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13, but the US joined in only on Saturday.

The Council should “denounce the attacks on IAEA-safeguarded nuclear facilities, which violate Security Council and IAEA resolutions, as well as international humanitarian law,” Ahmad said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The latest attacks on the nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan were carried out by the US.

“In pursuit of these objectives, Pakistan has joined China and Russia in circulating a draft resolution,” Ahmad said.

He had strong words for Israel and supported Iran’s right to self-defence.

Pakistan has “strongly and unambiguously condemned the Israeli aggression, expressed solidarity and full support for Iran’s inherent and legitimate right of self-defence in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations,” he said.

IANS