Pakistan will not provide military bases to the United States if it launches attacks on Iran, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said. He said an attack on Iran will leave a negative impact on the politics and economics of not only Pakistan but the entire region.

“Iran is Pakistan’s friend and neighbouring country. Pakistan has been actively engaged with Iran, the US and the European Union to resolve the conflict. Our stance is very clear on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas-pipeline. Pakistan’s stance was also clear during voting in Vienna, (IAEA debate on Iran’s nuclear programme),” he added.

“Pakistan is against military action and wants to resolve the conflict through dialogue,” Kasuri told reporters in Lahore on Saturday. He said Pakistan’s foreign policy is aimed at promoting peace and security at the global and regional level.

Regarding Indo-Pak relations, Kasuri said the two countries had come a long way from the tense period in 2001 and 2002, when there was tension on the border. “Since the peace process started in January 2004, Pakistan and India resumed the composite dialogue process, which encompasses talks on peace and security,” the minister said.

On the US Congress legislation linking Pakistan’s defence aid with terrorism, Kasuri said Pakistan has serious reservations on the legislation.