ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed regional developments on Monday, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement, with Islamabad stressing the importance of dialogue and sustained peace efforts as the Middle East war intensifies.
Pakistan has engaged Saudi Arabia, Iran and other Gulf countries as it seeks to ease tensions in the Middle East following the US and Israel’s coordinated strikes against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks since last month.
The US-Israeli war on Iran is now entering its third week with no clear end in sight. Iran has largely shut the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flow, pushing up energy prices and raising fears of a spike in global inflation.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke to his Saudi counterpart via telephone on Monday night, the Pakistani foreign office said.
“They exchanged views on the latest developments in the ongoing regional situation and its broader implications,” the foreign office said.
“DPM/FM emphasized the importance of diplomatic engagement, dialogue, and sustained efforts to promote peace, stability, and security in the region.”
The war in the Middle East has shown no signs of letting up so far, with Israel saying on Monday it has detailed plans for at least three more weeks of conflict as it pounded sites across Iran overnight.
On the other hand, Iranian drone attacks temporarily shut Dubai airport and hit a key oil facility in the UAE on Monday.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday called for a coalition of nations to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the US-led NATO defense alliance faced a “very bad” future if its members failed to help.
But while allies voiced support for diplomatic efforts to reopen the route, they were cautious about joining any military action.
