Islamabad: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday embarked on a visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia amidst regional tension over the killing of a top Iranian general in a US drone strike in Iraq.
Qureshi’s visit came after Prime Minister Imran Khan directed him to travel to the region following the tension between the US and Iran. Khan said Pakistan will not be party to any regional conflict and rather play the role of a peacemaker.
Pakistan’s powerful military has also said it will not allow its soil to be used against anyone.
In Tehran, Qureshi will meet his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and exchange views on the evolving situation in the Middle East and Gulf region, the Foreign Office said. From Tehran, he will visit Riyadh on Monday to hold talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and consult on the issues of regional peace.
During these visits, Qureshi will share Pakistan’s perspective on the current situation, stress the imperative of avoiding any conflict, underscore the importance of diffusion of tensions, and stress the need for finding a diplomatic way forward, it said.
He will convey Pakistan’s readiness to support all efforts that facilitate resolution of differences and disputes through political and diplomatic means.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that Qureshi’s visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia is an evidence of Pakistan’s sincere efforts in resolving conflicts and reducing tension peacefully. (PTI)
