FM Qureshi heads to Saudi Arabia after Iran trip

ISLAMABAD: On the second leg of his two-nation visit to help defuse tensions in the Middle East, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood will be visiting Saudi Arabia later today, the Foreign Office said.

On the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Qureshi visited Iran on Jan 12-13 on the first leg of his visit to regional countries with a view to support efforts for defusing tensions and promoting a diplomatic way forward, Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui in a statement.

The foreign minister called on President Hassan Rouhani and had a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

In these meetings, she said, 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 Shah Mehmood Qureshi 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,” the statement read.

“He said war was in nobody’s interest and it was imperative to resolve the issues through dialogue and diplomacy.”

FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi 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.

He 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.

He 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.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi 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 appreciated the foreign minister’s visit and stressed the importance Iran attached to its brotherly relations with Pakistan, the spokesperson said, adding they noted that the key feature of this people-centric relationship was that both countries stood by each other in times of need.

“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.”