Pakistan urges restraint as missiles rain down on Gulf
• PM speaks to Jordan, Bahrain rulers, offers support to restore calm; Dar contacts Omani, Iraqi counterparts
• Loud blasts heard in Dubai and Doha; Oman hit for first time; multiple Gulf ports targeted
• Emirati, Kuwaiti stock markets closed amid crisis
• UAE confirms Pakistani national killed by missile debris
ISLAMABAD: Amid Iranian counterattacks against US assets in the Gulf, Pakistan reached out to the rulers of Jordan and Bahrain via telephone and urged the need for restraint, de-escalation, and dialogue to preserve regional peace and stability.
The Gulf states, which house American assets, came under attack after Iran retaliated to joint US-Israeli strikes, which killed its top leadership, including the supreme leader, and scores of citizens.
According to the PM Office, the PM held a telephone conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah II to discuss the evolving regional situation.
The two leaders exchanged views on the serious regional developments following the recent escalation from the Israeli attack on Iran, which was followed by attacks on Jordan and other regional countries.
The prime minister expressed Pakistan’s deep concern over the situation and emphasised the urgent need for restraint, de-escalation, and dialogue to preserve regional peace and stability.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kingdom of Jordan as well as other brotherly countries during this challenging time and reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to support all efforts aimed at restoring stability.
Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination on regional developments.
In a statement on X, the PM said he also spoke to Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and conveyed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the brotherly people of Bahrain during the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
“While praying for the safety and security of our brothers and sisters in Bahrain, I emphasised restraint, respect for international law, and the urgent need for dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace and stability in the region,” he said.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to Omani and Iraqi counterparts to discuss the regional situation. In a call with Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, the two sides expressed concerns over the ongoing escalation in the region and underscored the urgent need for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation to preserve peace and stability. Both agreed to remain in close contact over the evolving situation.
FM Dar also talked to Iraq’s Fuad Hussein and discussed the rapidly evolving regional situation and stressed the need for sustained efforts to contain tensions, promote de-escalation, and advance peace and stability in the region.
Gulf in turmoil
As retaliatory strikes widened on Sunday they reverberated across Gulf Arab states, with loud blasts heard in Dubai and the Qatari capital Doha and with Oman being hit for the first time.
In the UAE, the defence ministry said three people had died and 58 were wounded since Iran’s strikes began the previous day.
UAE also confirmed the death of a Pakistani national in Iranian missile strikes targeting the UAE. The victim was killed after being struck by missile debris in Abu Dhabi.
Emirati authorities have extended their deepest condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family and relatives of the deceased. As of now, the identity of the victim has not been made public.
In Kuwait, one person was killed and 32 wounded since the start of Iran’s retaliation campaign, the health ministry said.
Debris from an intercepted drone damaged an Abu Dhabi complex housing the Israeli embassy and several other international missions, causing minor injuries to a woman and her child, Abu Dhabi’s state media office said on Sunday.
In Dubai, two people were injured after shrapnel from drones fell over two houses when they were intercepted, a Dubai state media office statement said. Dubai’s international airport, its landmark Burj Al Arab hotel and man-made Palm Jumeirah Island all suffered damage overnight, as did Abu Dhabi’s international airport.
Thick plumes of smoke continued to rise from the Jebel Ali port area, where one of the berths caught fire on Sunday because of debris from an intercepted missile. State-owned logistics firm DP World has temporarily paused operations at Jebel Ali Port, according to a notice seen by Reuters.
Large plumes of smoke were also seen rising at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port area, according to a Reuters witness. In neighbouring Oman, which was spared retaliation on Saturday, Duqm commercial port was targeted by two drones, wounding one worker, the state news agency said.
Qatar’s interior ministry said on Sunday that it was responding to a limited fire in an industrial zone after debris fell from an intercepted missile.
Gulf stock markets fell sharply when trading opened on Sunday, with Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index dropping more than 4pc at the open and closing down 2.2pc.
Meanwhile, stock exchanges in Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be closed “until further notice” due to the ongoing conflict in the region, the UAE’s financial regulatory authority announced on Sunday.
“The Authority confirms that it will continue to closely monitor developments in the region and assess the situation on an ongoing basis, taking any further measures as necessary,” it said. Kuwait also suspended trading until further notice.
Saudi intercepts missile attacks
Saudi Arabia on Sunday intercepted Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh’s international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase, which houses US military personnel, a Gulf source briefed on the matter told AFP.
An eyewitness near the airport said they “saw and heard the air defence intercept the missile in the sky”. Residents and AFP correspondents earlier reported hearing explosions in eastern Riyadh. Saudi Arabia houses US bases and personnel, though the bigger such facilities are located in Bahrain and Qatar.
Meanwhile, the US officials warned citizens in Bahrain to avoid hotels in the capital Manama, while staff at the US embassy to Jordan were told to avoid the embassy compound, citing risks of attacks. AFP also reported blasts in Bahrain’s capital.
Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2026