Islamabad: Top diplomats from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt are gathering in Islamabad on Sunday as part of a concerted effort to address the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The meeting signifies a transition from informal interactions to formal discussions aimed at finding a resolution to the ongoing hostilities.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the war in Iran, ongoing for a month, has involved more than a dozen countries and created significant economic disturbances globally. The continuous U.S.-Israeli offensives against Iran, coupled with Tehran’s retaliatory actions, have resulted in a high death toll, claiming thousands of lives.
The foreign ministers’ meeting, initiated by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, is designed to ‘review the evolving regional situation and discuss issues of mutual interest,’ as stated in a communiqu© from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry. This session underscores a strategic shift towards formal negotiations to seek peaceful solutions.
In a related development, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif engaged in a phone dialogue with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday, focusing on diplomatic efforts for peace and negotiation. This followed a Thursday announcement by Dar highlighting Pakistan’s role in facilitating communication between the United States and Iran to reduce hostilities.
Pakistan, which shares a 900-kilometer border with Iran, has been proactive in offering its services as a mediator since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, aiming to defuse the situation that threatens regional stability.