Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday emphasized the urgent need for collective efforts to de-escalate regional tensions and return to dialogue and diplomacy amidst the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Speaking with Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian via telephone, the prime minister further stressed on the critical importance of unity within the Muslim Ummah, maintaining it was more necessary than ever before.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif extended Eidul Fitr and Nowruz greetings to the Iranian president, as well as the brotherly people of Iran. “The feelings were warmly reciprocated by the Iranian president, who also conveyed his best wishes for the people of Pakistan,” it said, adding Sharif had conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brave Iranian people in the wake of ongoing hostilities.
The prime minister also expressed deep condolences over the loss of precious lives and prayed for early recovery and safety of the injured and displaced. While sharing his serious concerns over the dangerous ongoing hostilities in the Gulf region, Sharif underscored the urgent need to work collectively for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and diplomacy amongst all neighboring countries to settle their differences.
During the call, per the statement, the prime minister also shared with the Iranian president diplomatic outreach efforts of Pakistan’s leadership, assuring him that Islamabad would continue to play a constructive role in facilitating peace in the region.
Since the commencement of the Iran war on Feb. 28, triggered by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran, over 2,000 people have been killed across the Gulf. The conflict has severely disrupted fuel supplies globally, with analysts fearing the ongoing constraints could have consequences spanning months, if not years.