Pakistan hosts urgent peace talks with regional allies on Iran‑US tensions

ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan will meet in Islamabad on March 29–30 to discuss de-escalation in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict following the US-Israel strikes on Iran.

Iran has continued retaliatory attacks on US interests, as well as oil and other infrastructure in Gulf states, in response to airstrikes against Tehran since February 28.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, confirmed that Pakistan will host the quadrilateral meeting.

The talks will be chaired by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, with participation from the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The four countries aim to reduce tensions between Iran and the US through diplomatic engagement.

Ishaq Dar said Pakistan had initially planned to hold the meeting in Türkiye, but scheduling conflicts led to Islamabad being chosen as the venue.

He emphasized that Pakistan is hosting the talks with good intentions to resolve the conflict and that all partner countries are providing full support.

He added that foreign ministers will also meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the second day of the talks. Ongoing discussions with Iran continue, and due to the sensitive nature of negotiations, media commentary has been limited, he added.

Meanwhile, the foreign office also said in a statement that the Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt will visit Islamabad from March 29–30, 2026, at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

The visiting dignitaries include Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud; Türkiye’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan; and Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Badr Abdelatty.

During their visit, the foreign ministers will hold in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate regional tensions.

The foreign office emphasized that Pakistan highly values its relations with the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt. The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation and coordination across multiple areas of mutual interest.

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) engaged Pakistan in efforts to operationalize a special task force on the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional tensions.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Friday, announced the launch of a dedicated task force to develop mechanisms ensuring the safe passage of humanitarian supplies and essential agricultural goods through the Strait of Hormuz.