ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday emphasized the need to seize a “window of opportunity” to advance peace in the Middle East, as diplomatic efforts intensify to extend a temporary truce in the US-Iran war after weeks of intense fighting.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, comes as Pakistan steps up efforts to revive talks between Washington and Tehran after a first round of negotiations in Islamabad on Apr. 11 ended without a breakthrough, with US President Donald Trump signaling that further in-person discussions could take place in the Pakistani capital “over the weekend.”
Pakistan has been spearheading diplomatic efforts to end the war. Its prime minister visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to discuss the conflict and Islamabad’s push for dialogue.
Sharif is currently in Türkiye on the invitation of its government where he met Erdoğan on the sidelines of the high-profile annual event.
“The two leaders exchanged views on recent regional developments, particularly the evolving situation in the Middle East,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after the meeting. “The Prime Minister thanked President Erdoğan for his strong support and encouragement of Pakistan’s peace efforts and shared with him the updates on how to extend the ceasefire and resume talks so that a peace agreement could be reached.”
“The two leaders emphasized the importance of effectively utilizing the current window of opportunity to advance a durable and lasting regional peace,” it added.
The statement said Erdoğan praised Pakistan’s diplomatic initiative and said Türkiye would continue to support Islamabad’s efforts to secure peace in the region.
The two-week ceasefire, agreed earlier this month, is set to expire on Apr. 21, raising pressure on mediators to secure progress in negotiations amid ongoing regional tensions.
Sharif and Erdoğan also expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations while agreeing to convene the 8th High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting in Ankara later this year.
They emphasized the importance of expediting the implementation of ongoing initiatives and exploring new opportunities to further deepen economic engagement and the strategic partnership.
Pakistan and Türkiye have in recent years expanded cooperation in defense production and joint military training, alongside closer coordination on regional and international issues.
