UN Urges India and Pakistan to Use Restraint as Tensions Soar after Kashmir Attack

Indian Border Security Force soldiers stand guard at the barricade on the road leading to the Attari-Wagah border on India's side, near Amritsar, Thursday, April 24, 2025 (AP)
Indian Border Security Force soldiers stand guard at the barricade on the road leading to the Attari-Wagah border on India's side, near Amritsar, Thursday, April 24, 2025 (AP)
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UN Urges India and Pakistan to Use Restraint as Tensions Soar after Kashmir Attack

Indian Border Security Force soldiers stand guard at the barricade on the road leading to the Attari-Wagah border on India's side, near Amritsar, Thursday, April 24, 2025 (AP)
Indian Border Security Force soldiers stand guard at the barricade on the road leading to the Attari-Wagah border on India's side, near Amritsar, Thursday, April 24, 2025 (AP)

The United Nations has urged India and Pakistan to exercise “maximum restraint” as the nuclear-armed rivals ramped up tit-for-tat diplomatic offensive following a deadly attack on tourists in disputed Kashmir.

The UN appeal comes amid soaring tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad after gunmen killed 26 people near the resort town of Pahalgam in Kashmir on Tuesday. India immediately described the massacre a “terror attack” and said it had “cross border” links, blaming Pakistan for backing it.

Pakistan denied any connection to the attack, which was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance, The Associated Press said.

The UN called Pakistan and India “to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that the situation and the developments we’ve seen do not deteriorate any further.”

“Any issues between Pakistan and India, we believe can be and should be resolved peacefully, through meaningful, mutual engagement,” the statement said Friday.

Following the attack, India announced a series of diplomatic actions against Pakistan.

New Delhi on Wednesday suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty that has withstood two wars between the two countries and closed the only functional land border crossing between the countries while also cutting the number of diplomatic staff. A day later, India revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals with effect from Sunday.

In retaliation, Pakistan on Thursday responded angrily that it has nothing to do with the attack, and canceled visas issued to Indian nationals, closed its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines and suspended all trade with India, including to and from any third country.

It also warned that any Indian attempt to stop or divert flow of water would be considered an “act of war” and met with “full force across the complete spectrum” of Pakistan’s national power.

Tuesday’s attack in Kashmir was the worst assault in years, targeting civilians in the restive region that has seen an anti-India rebellion for more than three decades.

India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.



Iranians Seek Temporary Refuge in Neighboring Türkiye as Conflict with Israel Escalates

Iranians arrive to cross into Iran at Gurbulak Bazargan border post, in Gurbulak, Turkey, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)
Iranians arrive to cross into Iran at Gurbulak Bazargan border post, in Gurbulak, Turkey, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)
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Iranians Seek Temporary Refuge in Neighboring Türkiye as Conflict with Israel Escalates

Iranians arrive to cross into Iran at Gurbulak Bazargan border post, in Gurbulak, Turkey, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)
Iranians arrive to cross into Iran at Gurbulak Bazargan border post, in Gurbulak, Turkey, Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP)

At a border crossing between Türkiye and Iran, Shirin Talebi was anxiously waiting on Monday for her children and grandchildren to arrive from Tehran. The family are planning to stay for a month or two in Türkiye, seeking temporary refuge from the conflict between Israel and Iran.

"I’m here because of safety. They are bombing. My children have small children of their own," said Talebi, who had just arrived at the Gurbulak-Bazargan border crossing from the Iranian city of Urmia.

"Hopefully, it is over in one or two months so we can return to our country," she said.

Türkiye, which shares a 569 kilometer-long (348 miles) border with Iran, has expressed deep concern over the escalating armed conflict between Iran and Israel.

Israel launched an assault on Iran’s top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists that it said was necessary to prevent the country from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. Friday's surprise attack came two days before Iran and the US were set to hold a negotiating session for a deal over Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran has retaliated by firing waves of ballistic missiles at Israel.

There are fears in Türkiye that a prolonged conflict could threaten its security, cause energy disruptions and lead to refugee flows.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that Türkiye was ready to act as a "facilitator" toward ending the conflict and resuming nuclear negotiations in telephone calls with US President Donald Trump and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Observers have noted an increase in arrivals from Iran since the conflict, though Turkish officials have dismissed social media reports of a large-scale refugee influx as unfounded. Türkiye has not provided any official figures for arrivals.

"Our Ministry of Interior and relevant security units confirm that there is no unusual movement, congestion or irregular crossing at both the Kapıkoy and Gurbulak border gates," the Turkish presidential communications office said.

Türkiye allows Iranians to enter the country without a visa for tourism purposes and stay for up to 90 days.

At Gurbulak, one of the busiest crossings between Türkiye and Iran, bus driver Ferit Aktas had just brought a group of Iranians to the border gate from Istanbul and was waiting to pick up others.

"About a week or 10 days ago, there would be between three and five people (Iranians) who would come for shopping or tourism. But now, I can say, that there are at least 30 Iranians in my vehicle per day," he said.

"They say, ‘We are not safe there and we are forced to come.’ Most of them want to go to Europe, they want to go to Europe through Türkiye," Aktas said.

Mejid Dehimi, also from Umria, arrived in Türkiye for a week-long break, not to escape the conflict. He expressed support for his country’s leaders.

"We are not afraid of death," he said. "We will stand against Israel until our last breath and for as long as our lives allow."