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PTI expresses strong solidarity with Iran

PTI expresses strong solidarity with Iran

ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday expressed strong solidarity with Iran, declaring that the people of Pakistan stand firmly with their Iranian brethren amid ongoing hostilities between Iran and Israel.
A PTI delegation, led by the Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub, comprising senior party leaders, visited the Iranian Embassy to convey support on behalf of the Pakistani nation. The delegation met with Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam.
The visit was undertaken on the instructions of PTI's incarcerated patron-in-chief and ex-prime minister Imran Khan. A message from Khan was formally delivered to the Iranian envoy during the meeting.
During his meeting with the Iranian envoy, Ayub condemned the Israeli aggression, calling recent actions by Tel Aviv violations of international law.
'We stand firmly with the Iranian government and its people,' he said. 'From Gaza to Tehran, the cries of the oppressed are shaking the conscience of the world.'
He urged the international community to recognise Iran's right to self-defence and called on the Muslim world to move beyond symbolic gestures and adopt practical steps.
'Israel has become a threat to global peace,' he added, reiterating PTI's support for Iran.
The acting PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan who was also part of the delegation, said that 'we extended condolences over the recent losses in Iran and assured the ambassador that the people, opposition, and government of Pakistan stand united with Iran during this challenging time.'
Separately, talking to journalists outside Parliament House, Khan reaffirmed that any efforts regarding Imran Khan's release would be pursued solely through constitutional and legal means.
'There will be no deal,' Khan asserted, dismissing speculation of backdoor negotiations. 'Imran Khan has always maintained that he will not seek or accept any deal.'
He also emphasised that PTI had never sought assistance from any foreign government. 'We are not relying on the new US administration or any foreign intervention,' he said.
'Our trust lies with the judiciary, which is performing under extremely difficult conditions.'
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

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