PM Shehbaz speaks to Iran's president, expresses concern over hostilities in Gulf

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Monday.

The Prime Minister extended Eid ul Fitr and Nowruz greetings to the Iranian president and the brotherly people of Iran. President Pezeshkian warmly reciprocated the gesture and conveyed his best wishes for the people of Pakistan.

As a neighbouring brotherly country of Iran, PM Shehbaz conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brave Iranian people in the wake of the ongoing hostilities.

He expressed deep condolences over the loss of precious lives and prayed for early recovery and safety of those injured and displaced.

PM Shehbaz also conveyed his serious concern over the dangerous ongoing hostilities in the Gulf region.

In view of this grave situation, Shehbaz Sharif underscored the urgent need to work collectively for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and diplomacy amongst all the neighbouring countries to settle their differences.

He stressed upon the critical importance of unity in the ranks of the Ummah, that was required more than ever before.

While sharing with the Iranian President the diplomatic outreach efforts of Pakistan’s leadership, the prime minister assured the Iranian leadership that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role in facilitating peace in the region.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Monday that he had ordered a halt to his threatened strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after “very good and productive talks” with Tehran, and that negotiations are set to continue this week.

Hours before the expiration of his two-day ultimatum — in which he threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power infrastructure if it did not reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz — Trump suddenly reported with little detail that diplomacy was underway, after he earlier shunned talks.

The United States and Iran “have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump wrote, in all capitals, early Monday on his Truth Social platform.