ISLAMABAD: Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki met Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday to discuss regional developments and bilateral cooperation, the Pakistani foreign office said, as tensions persist between Washington and Tehran despite Islamabad's mediation efforts.
During the meeting, Dar, who is also Pakistan's foreign minister, reaffirmed Islamabad's "strong commitment" to further strengthening cooperation across all areas with the Kingdom, the foreign office said in a statement.
"Views were exchanged on recent regional developments and other matters of mutual interest," the statement said. "The Saudi Ambassador appreciated Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace and stability."
The meeting between the two takes place a day after the UAE reported a drone attack near its nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi. No country has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but the strike took place amid a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran that has largely held since April.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations condemned the strike, with Islamabad calling on all parties in the US-Iran conflict to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation. The latest strike has triggered fears of renewed military hostilities between the US and Iran, who have largely avoided indulging in an armed conflict since April amid Islamabad's mediation efforts.
Iran has targeted Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with drone strikes and missiles since the US-Iran war broke out in February. The US and Israel carried out coordinated strikes against Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with attacks against civilian infrastructure in Gulf nations, US military bases and Israel.
Regional tensions further surged when Saudi Arabia's defense ministry said on Sunday it had intercepted three drones after they entered its territory from Iraqi airspace.
The Kingdom’s defense ministry spokesman Major General Turki Al-Maliki said it would take the necessary operational measures to respond to any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security.
