The Russian foreign minister told Islamabad that Moscow is ready to assist in mediating if both countries agree

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has discussed the escalation of tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi in a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Lavrov expressed Moscow's willingness to support peaceful efforts to ease the tensions. "The Russian side emphasized its readiness to assist in the political resolution of the situation that arose after the April 22 terrorist attack in the Pahalgam area, if there is mutual interest from Islamabad and New Delhi," the ministry said. The statement added that the call took place at Pakistan's request.

On Saturday, Lavrovspoke to his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov urged "a settlement of disagreements between New Delhi and Islamabad by political and diplomatic means" on a bilateral basis in accordance with the provisions of the 1972 Simla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration, which are historical frameworks under which the two South Asian countries previously agreed to resolve disputes diplomatically.

According to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, during the call Dar rejected India's "baseless allegations and inflammatory rhetoric against Pakistan" and condemned New Delhi's "illegal move" to hold the water treaty in abeyance."

The nuclear-armed neighbors have witnessed a sharp nosedive in already strained ties after a terrorist attack in southern Kashmir left 26 civilians dead. The terrorist attack occurred in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in India's Jammu and Kashmir union territory on April 22.

Following the attack, India took a series of measures against the neighboring country, including expelling some Pakistani diplomats, cancelling visas of Pakistani citizens, and closing the land border. It also suspended parts of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty that governs water sharing with Pakistan. On Saturday, New Delhi announced a set of further measures aimed at downgrading already severed trade ties with Pakistan.

Pakistan has responded with its own countermeasures and warned of further escalation. Islamabad last week claimed that it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action against it, and has said it is prepared to respond. The two countries have reportedly exchanged gunfire for ten consecutive nights along the Line of Control in Kashmir.

India has accused Pakistan of supporting the militant group allegedly behind the Kashmir attack, reiterating its long-standing claim that Islamabad supports cross-border terrorism and uses terrorism as a tool.

Islamabad has denied India's claims. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that his country itself was a victim of terrorism in the region stemming from the policies of Western governments, particularly the US, tracing back decades, starting with the Soviet-Afghanistan war in the late 1980s. The minister admitted his country had previously done "dirty work" by "training and indoctrinating jihadists on behalf of the West." He, however, called it a mistake and said Pakistan now bears the consequences of previous policies.

(RT.com)