ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is visiting Iran today, Monday, after a visit to Turkiye as part of a regional diplomacy tour following Pakistan’s worst military standoff with nuclear-armed neighbor India.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi called for restraint between India and Pakistan and visited both nations following India’s first strikes on Pakistan on May 7, when New Delhi said it had hit “terrorist infrastructure.” Pakistan retaliated, saying it had downed six Indian fighter jets.
The conflict went on for nearly four days, with the two nations launching missiles and drones deep into each other’s territories and exchanging gunfire on their de facto border, the Line of Control, until a ceasefire was announced on May 10. India said its assault was in response to a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that it accused Islamabad of being behind — a charge it denies.
On Sunday, Sharif reached Turkiye as the first stop in a diplomacy tour to nations that were either supportive of Islamabad during the latest crisis with India, or that helped mediate the conflict.
“The purpose of the Prime Minister’s visit was to thank the people of Turkiye, and especially President Tayyip Erdogan, for their full cooperation and support in the recent Pakistan-India crisis,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has now left for Tehran, Iran, where he will hold meetings with the Iranian top leadership.”
Sharif will also be visiting Azerbaijan and Tajikistan as part of the five-day tour.
Erdogan spoke by phone with Sharif on May 7 to convey his solidarity after India first hit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir with missiles. Leaders from the two nations had several contacts subsequently and it is widely believed that Turkiye played an important role, besides the US, UAE and Saudi Arabia, in convincing India and Pakistan to back off and agree to a ceasefire. The two nations have strong ties, both being largely Muslim countries and sharing historical links.
Iran’s leadership also offered to mediate the conflict and there were several contacts between its foreign minister and the Pakistani PM and other leaders.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and has been the focus of several wars and diplomatic stand-offs.
