ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Pakistan and United States agreed to continue working closely to strengthen the bilateral ties.
The understanding came as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday.
During their warm and cordial conversation, the prime minister appreciated President Trump’s bold and decisive leadership that led to the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
He also thanked the US Secretary of State Rubio for the key role played by the United States in the Pakistan-India ceasefire.
While exchanging views on the current situation in the Middle East, the prime minister stated that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role for bringing peace in the Middle East.
Secretary Rubio said that the US would like to work with Pakistan for promoting peace and stability in the region.
Reuters adds: US Secretary of State Rubio and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz held a call on Thursday in which they discussed promoting "a durable peace between Israel and Iran," the State Department said in a statement.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
President Donald Trump, earlier this week, announced a ceasefire between US ally Israel and its regional rival Iran to halt a war that began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran.
TRUMP MEETS FIELD MARSHAL ASIM
Trump met Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House last week where they discussed Iran, which Trump said Pakistan knew about better than most other countries.
A section of Pakistan's embassy in Washington represents Iran's interests in the United States, as Tehran does not have diplomatic relations with the US.
KEY QUOTES
"The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran," the US State Department said in a statement.
"Secretary Rubio emphasized Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon."
CONTEXT
The Israel-Iran conflict had raised alarms in a region that was already on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.
Also Read: PM Shehbaz welcomes Israel-Iran ceasefire, reaffirms Pakistan's support for Iran
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, calling it a positive development and reaffirming Pakistan's strong support for the brotherly Islamic nation.
Chairing a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister reviewed the overall national situation. The cabinet was briefed on the decisions of the National Security Committee.
The cabinet expressed satisfaction over de-escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel and unanimously passed a resolution appreciating the role of the prime minister and the Field Marshal in reducing regional tensions.
Addressing the meeting, PM Shehbaz stated that Iran gave a strong response to Israel in self-defence and praised the courage and bravery of the Iranian nation.