Iran is not "seeking" escalation but "has the right to legitimate defense," the Iranian foreign minister said Tuesday from Pakistan regarding a possible response to the Israeli strikes on Oct. 26 against Iran.

"Unlike Israel, the Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek escalation but we reserve our inalienable right to self-defense," Abbas Araghchi said at a press conference alongside his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad. "We will certainly respond to the Israeli aggression in due time and in the right way, in a very measured and well-calculated manner," he continued.

Dar, whose country, the only Muslim nuclear power, does not recognize Israel, said that he "condemns the limitless Israeli military aggression in the Middle East and its genocidal acts against civilians." Since the unprecedented deadly attack by Hamas on its soil on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been at war with the Palestinian movement in Gaza and now also with Hezbollah in Lebanon, while it regularly exchanges salvos of strikes with Iran.

On Sunday, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian announced that a possible ceasefire between Tehran's allies and Israel could influence his country's response to the latest Israeli strikes. On Oct. 26, the Israeli air force struck military sites in Iran in retaliation for Iranian missile strikes on its soil on Oct. 1.

Iran has presented its Oct. 1 attack as a response to the assassination of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders. Israel has warned Iran against retaliating for its attack, while Tehran has promised, through its Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, “a scathing response.”

Iran's foreign minister arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Tuesday for a two-day official visit to discuss a range of issues, including Middle East tensions and improving bilateral relations, officials said Tuesday. Araghchi was met by Pakistani officials shortly after midnight when his plane landed. He will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and other officials at the foreign ministry on Tuesday.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement that the visit "provides an important opportunity to advance cooperation and dialogue between Pakistan and Iran in a wide range of areas, including trade, energy and security."