Pakistan has seen progress in talks with Iran, according to Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
“I am pleased to share [the] great news that the Government of Iran has agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz; two ships will cross the Strait daily,” he wrote on Saturday.
This is a “harbinger of peace and will help usher stability in the region,” Dar said.
Pakistan is hosting regional powers Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt as it tries to help end the war in Iran.
Pakistan is a close friend of the Trump administration and is positioning itself to play a larger role in the postwar era.
In addition, Saudi Arabia has spoken with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, showcasing how South Asian countries are playing an increasing role in the Middle East.
The recent discussion with Iran “marks a meaningful step toward peace and will strengthen our collective efforts in that direction,” Pakistan said on March 28. “Dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward.”
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “discussed the latest regional developments during a phone call on Saturday,” Saudi Arabia-based newspaper Arab News reported.
“Repercussions of the ongoing military escalation on global and regional security and stability and risks to international maritime security and the global economy were also discussed during the call, the Saudi Press Agency reported,” the report said. “Modi reiterated his country’s condemnation of repeated Iranian attacks that threaten the Kingdom’s security and sovereignty.”
Trust is needed to facilitate the talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Arab News reported.
“Pezeshkian... praised Pakistan’s diplomatic effort, [and] the two leaders discussed hostilities in the region and efforts to end the conflict during a call that lasted over an hour,” the report said. “Sharif briefed Pezeshkian on Pakistan’s diplomatic contacts with the United States and Gulf states.”
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt meet in Pakistan to discuss Iran war
The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt met on Saturday. This indicates a changing world order.
While the US has had tough discussions with the Group of Seven in Europe, and the White House is arguing with NATO, the regional powers in the Middle East are stepping into the diplomacy breach.
This shows how countries linked to the emerging multipolar world order are increasingly working together without the US present in the room. They are seizing the initiative.
Turkey is a member of NATO. Pakistan is a friend of the US. Egypt is also a close friend of the US alongside Saudi Arabia. This matters because it shows how US allies are seeking to end the Iran war.
Dar, Pakistan’s foreign minister, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had arrived in Pakistan in the evening.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a “detailed telephone conversation with my brother President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran earlier today, lasting over one hour,” he wrote on X/Twitter. “I reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the continued Israeli attacks on Iran, including recent strikes on civilian infrastructure, and conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brave people of Iran.
“I expressed, once again, my condolences on the tragic loss of precious lives and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured and displaced. I apprised him of Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic outreach – engaging the United States and brotherly Gulf and Islamic countries – to facilitate dialogue and de-escalation,” Sharif said.