Pakistan and Armenia Establish Diplomatic Relations for the First Time
ISLAMABAD: In a historic move, Pakistan and Armenia have formally established diplomatic relations, the Foreign Office (FO) announced on Sunday.
A Shift in Regional Policy
Until now, the two countries did not share formal diplomatic ties. Relations were largely defined by regional geopolitics, with Pakistan consistently supporting Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.
However, earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that Pakistan had agreed to consider diplomatic ties after a phone call with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, following the recently signed peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Signing of the Joint Communique
According to the FO statement, Islamabad and Yerevan formally established ties by signing and exchanging a joint communique in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
“Marking a historic step forward, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter and explored areas of cooperation including economy, education, culture, and tourism,” the FO said.
The two ministers also emphasized their shared goals of peace, progress, and prosperity, pledging to work closely at both bilateral and multilateral platforms.
Messages from Both Foreign Ministers
On X (formerly Twitter), Ishaq Dar expressed satisfaction over the agreement, posting photos of himself and Mirzoyan signing the documents, flanked by their national flags.
The Armenian foreign minister also wrote:
“By this major step, our governments express their readiness to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in line with the UN Charter and foster constructive engagement in multilateral fora.”
Background and Peace Agreement
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, brokered under the auspices of US President Donald Trump at the White House.
In a statement, the premier said:
“Pakistan welcomes the historic peace agreement signed between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia… Pakistan has always stood by the brotherly nation of Azerbaijan and we stand with them at this proud moment.”
