Pakistan: We will continue trade with Iran — U.S. sanctions are unilateral and not binding on us

Pakistan declared on Thursday that it will continue trade with Iran, emphasizing that U.S. sanctions on Tehran are unilateral and not binding on Islamabad, since they were not imposed by the United Nations Security Council, as the Iranian news agency WANA reports.

“The sanctions imposed on Iran are unilateral and were not issued by the UN Security Council. Therefore, we will continue our trade with Tehran,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in its statement, which describes Pakistan as committed to international law.

Islamabad also called on Iran and the United States to show restraint and resolve open issues through dialogue and diplomacy, adding that it is in contact with all relevant parties over sanctions and trade with Iran.

The statement comes on the same day Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran’s rail and automotive sectors, deepening the clash over the U.S. campaign of economic pressure on Tehran, which Pakistan has long openly opposed.