By Asghar Ali Mubark
ISLAMABAD: The United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, held a meeting with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday to delve into recent developments in the region.
Acting spokesperson for the US Mission, Thomas Montgomery, conveyed the essence of the dialogue in a statement issued shortly after the meeting without specifically mentioning the recent regional events. Ambassador Blome reiterated the United States’ unwavering commitment to collaborating closely with the government and people of Pakistan. He underscored that ensuring prosperity and security for Pakistan remains among the highest priorities for the United States. The meeting between Ambassador Blome and FM Dar comes at a pivotal juncture, marked by significant geopolitical shifts and evolving challenges in the region including Middle East crisis following Iran’s attack on Israel amid ongoing Gaza war.
Last week, US State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller had denied any information that suggested that Iran was supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Pakistan, contributing to the recent surge in terrorist activities. Miller addressed several contentious issues surrounding the geopolitical situations in Iran and Pakistan.
He firmly disagreed with this assessment that Iran supported ISIS activities in Pakistan. “So, I would obviously disagree with your characterisation. I’m not going to get into a long rebuttal about something we’ve spoken to a number of times, but no, I do not have information to suggest that, he told the questioner during his regular press briefing.
