ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday in a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held discussions regarding the ongoing hostilities in West Asia and condemned the continued Israeli attacks on Tehran.
“During their detailed conversation that lasted over one hour, the two leaders held extensive discussions regarding the ongoing hostilities in the region and peace efforts,” a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Sharif informed the Iranian president of the diplomatic outreach efforts being undertaken by him, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar as well as Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, it said.
Pakistan was engaging the US, Gulf and Islamic countries, to create a conducive environment for peace talks, the statement said.
The prime minister briefed the Iranian president on the strong endorsement of Pakistan’s peace initiative and expressed the hope that a viable path towards ending hostilities could be found collectively, it said.
Sharif also reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the continued Israeli attacks on Iran, including the latest attacks on civilian infrastructure on Friday.
He reaffirmed “Pakistan’s solidarity and support for the brave people of Iran, in these challenging times”, as he also offered condolences on the loss of over 1,900 lives and prayed for recovery of the injured and displaced.
The Iranian president, appreciating the prime minister’s diplomatic efforts, shared his perspective on the ongoing hostilities perpetrated by Israel against Iran, the statement said.
Pezeshkian stressed upon the need to build trust in order to facilitate talks and mediation.
Sharif in a social media post said that he held a detailed telephone conversation with “my brother President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran earlier today, lasting over one hour”.
“I reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the continued Israeli attacks on Iran, including recent strikes on civilian infrastructure, and conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brave people of Iran,” he said.
Sharif also expressed his condolences on the “tragic loss of precious lives and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured and displaced”.
The prime minister also said that he thanked the president for his appreciation of Pakistan’s sincere efforts to advance peace and facilitate dialogue in the region.
“I apprised him of Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic outreach - engaging the United States and brotherly Gulf and Islamic countries - to facilitate dialogue and de-escalation,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is set to host the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye for discussions on a wide-range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in West Asia amid the war in Iran, the Foreign Office said on Saturday.
Pakistan on Thursday said that it was “actively and constructively engaged” with all stakeholders in the region and beyond to peacefully end the Iran war.