ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Albert Khorev, has said Moscow is ready to supply discounted oil to Pakistan, urging the country to benefit from the opportunity. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, Khorev said that Moscow would sell discounted oil to Pakistan if Islamabad formally approaches his country on the matter. However, the Russian ambassador said no formal contact had yet been made in this regard. The envoy emphasised that the energy sector remained the most important pillar of the two nations’ bilateral cooperation, adding that any progress in the sector would depend on Islamabad initiating engagement. Pakistan, like many economies around the world, is grappling with rising fuel costs as supply chains are disrupted by the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a key route for global oil transport — has ground to a halt after Iran blocked the passage in response to joint strikes by the United States and Israel. Amid the disruption, Pakistan has raised petrol and diesel prices by a steep 20%, with federal ministers saying the increase is temporary and will be reversed once the conflict subsides. Meanwhile, the Russian ambassador said that Iran’s response in the Middle East was directed at US military installations in Gulf waters, but declined further comment, citing uncertainty. Khorev said the world was taken aback by US President Donald Trump’s military actions, describing the situation as “complex and unpredictable” and saying it was difficult to say how and when current tensions will end. He also condemned the attack on a girls’ school in Iran, in which 170 children lost their lives, calling it “highly deplorable” and urging restraint from all sides. He called on all parties to avoid the use of force and resolve issues through political and diplomatic means under the United Nations Charter. The Russian envoy further criticised the actions of the US and Israel, saying their use of force against Iran had intensified the crisis and aimed at weakening its leadership while creating divisions within the Islamic world.