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By APD writerMuhammad Sohail
Pakistani Prime Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday left for a visit to Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States to play Pakistan’s positive role to calm down the escalating tension in the Middle East.
On the first leg of his tour, Qureshi accompanied by senior Pakistani officials on Sunday reached the Iranian city of Mashhad. Theforeign minister is also scheduled to visit Tehran to meet his Iranian the counterpart to exchange views on the current situation in the region, Radio Pakistan added.
Qureshi will also visit Riyadh on Monday to hold talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
Qureshi's trip comes after Prime Minister Imran Khan instructed him to visit Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States and meet with respective foreign ministers, and the U.S. secretary of state.
The United States and Iran came to the brink of war after Iran launched missile attacks on U.S.-led forces in Iraq, in retaliation for the US drone strike on Iranian general Qasem Soleimani.
“Qureshi will share Pakistan's perspective on thecurrent situation, stress the imperative of avoiding any conflict, underscore the importance of defusion of tensions, and stress the need for finding a diplomatic way forward,” said Pakistan’s foreign ministry in a statement.
"The foreign minister will convey Pakistan’s readiness to support all efforts that facilitate the resolution of differences and disputes through political and diplomatic means," the statement added.
According to a diplomatic source, following his visit Tehran and Riyadh, the foreign minister will travel to Washington on January 17.
Pakistan and Russia also agreed to launch joint efforts to restore peace in the region, Radio Pakistan reported on Friday.
In a phone call between Qureshi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the two leaders discussed issues relating to the escalation of tensions in the Middle East as well as the overall situation in the region, the report added.
The same day, the foreign minister also discussed the US-Iran tensions in a phone call with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali al-Hakim.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has offered to mediate between the United States and Iran while emphasizing that Pakistan will not become part of anyone else’s war but will try to resolve differences between warring states.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
