Iran Urges India, Pakistan To Exercise Restraint In Situation Around Kashmir - President

TEHRAN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th August, 2019) Iran urges India and Pakistan to exercise restraint in the situation around the disputed Kashmir region in order to prevent the death of civilians, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday.

Earlier this week, the Indian government announced its decision to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and split it into two union territories, prompting an outraged reaction from Islamabad. Pakistan has downgraded its diplomatic relations and suspended trade with its neighbor.

"Iran calls on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and stop the insecurity and the killing of innocent people in Kashmir. The issue of Kashmir has never had a military solution, and we should seek diplomatic ways to resolve the issues," Rouhani said in a phone talk with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, as quoted in a published statement.

Iran wants both India and Pakistan to prevent the death of innocent citizens in Kashmir, he added.

Khan noted that current events in Kashmir caused concern and were against international regulations.

India and Pakistan have contended for the Kashmir region, the southern part of which lies in India's Jammu and Kashmir state, since the end of British rule in 1947. Despite a ceasefire being reached in 2003 following several armed conflicts, instability has continued, leading to the emergence of various extremist groups. Tensions spiked earlier this year when the Indian military conducted airstrikes in the region in response to an attack orchestrated by a terrorist group based on the Pakistani side of Kashmir.