Qureshi arrives in Saudi Arabia following Iran tour to ease Mideast tensions

FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi met Iranian leadership on first leg of Mideast peace mission.

RIYADH/TEHRAN (Dunya News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan has went on a tour to visit different countries – Iran, Saudi Arabia and the US – to de-escalate the tensions in Mideast following the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

According to details, Pakistan has initiated reconciliation efforts to eliminate tensions between the US and Iran. FM Qureshi Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and other senior officials of the Ministry arrived in the Saudi capital after a one-day visit to Iran. Qureshi and his delegation will hold a meeting with top Saudi top leadership to discuss the issues related to regional peace.

Earlier, FM Qureshi visited Tehran where he called on Iranian President Dr. Hassan Rouhani and Iranian counterpart Dr. Javad Zarif.

In these meetings, there was a wide-ranging exchange of views on recent developments in the Middle East/Gulf region. Pakistan-Iran relations were also discussed.

The Foreign Minister reaffirmed the importance Pakistan attached to its close fraternal ties with Iran and reiterated the resolve to further strengthen the historic, multifaceted relationship between the two countries.

Sharing Pakistan’s perspective in detail on the recent developments, the Foreign Minister emphasised the importance of maximum restraint and immediate steps for de-escalation by all sides. He said war was in nobody’s interest and it was imperative to resolve the issues through dialogue and diplomacy.

The Foreign Minister informed the Iranian leadership about his telephonic conversations with his counterparts in the region and said that there was a general consensus in favour of immediate de-escalation and avoidance of war.

The Foreign Minister reiterated that Pakistan would not allow its territory to be used against anyone; nor would Pakistan be a part of any war or conflict in the region. He reaffirmed that Pakistan could only be a partner for peace.

The Foreign Minister said that Pakistan appreciated Iran’s preference for de-escalation of tensions and expressed the hope that Iran would continue to act with its traditional wisdom in dealing with the issues at hand.

Foreign Minister Qureshi underlined that despite the complexity of issues involved, Pakistan would continue to work for peace as this was in the collective interest of the region and the world. In this context, Pakistan would also continue to urge constructive engagement among all sides to preserve the peace and advance the prospects of a diplomatic solution.

The Foreign Minister conveyed Pakistan’s appreciation for Iran’s steadfast support for Kashmiris’ right of self-determination and for early resolution of the issue in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

President Dr. Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif expressed appreciation for the Foreign Minister’s visit and stressed the importance Iran attached to its brotherly relations with Pakistan. They noted that the key feature of this people-centric relationship was that both countries stood by each other in times of need.

In the context of the current situation, they stressed that Iran also preferred de-escalation of tensions and preservation of peace and stability in the region. All sides had responsibilities in this regard.

The Iranian leadership appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts aimed at reducing tensions and advancing the prospects of peace through facilitation of diplomatic and political means. They said that Iran had supported the Prime Minister’s initiative in the past and welcomed the present efforts as well.