FM Qureshi telephones Saudi, UAE counterparts, discusses regional peace

ISLAMABAD: Amid escalating tensions between the United States and Tehran following the assassination of a top Iranian general, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday made telephone calls to his Saudi and UAE counterparts to discuss regional peace, ARY News reported.

During the telephonic conversation with Saudi Arabia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, FM Qureshi highlighted Pakistan’s deep concern over the recent developments and underscored the imperative of avoidance of conflict, exercise of maximum restraint and de-escalation of tensions.

He renewed the call on all parties concerned to abide by the UN Charter and principles of international law to settle differences through peaceful means. FM Qureshi also reaffirmed that Pakistan would neither let its soil be used against any other state nor become part of any regional conflict.

Sharing Pakistan’s perspective, the he expressed the hope that the progress made in the Afghan peace process would be preserved and further advanced.

The foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to continue to play a role in preventing further escalation and maintaining regional peace and stability.

Meanwhile, FM Qureshi also telephoned UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan to discuss regional security and the Middle East situation following Soleimani’s murder.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had telephoned his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif to discuss the Middle East situation following Soleimani’s killing.

According to sources, matters pertaining to peace and security in the region had been discussed in the meeting.

Tensions are rising between United States and Iran after Soleimani, the architect of Tehran’s overseas clandestine and military operations as head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, had been killed on Friday in a U.S. drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport.