Islamabad : Pakistan has expressed deep concern over the escalating situation in the Middle East, warning that renewed conflict and rising tensions have exposed the fragility of the current security environment and the risk of further escalation.

In a statement at the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that the recent surge in violence in the Middle East is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with a tenuous ceasefire and the unbearable consequences it may lead to.

“The cycle of violence and instability must end for the good of regional and international peace, security and prosperity,” he added.

The ambassador said the breakdown of diplomacy and outbreak of hostilities have also impacted the consideration of the Iran nuclear issue, pushing the parties further apart on this complex file and disrupting the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) verification mandate.