ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi leaves forimportant foreign policy mission.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi left for Tehran on Sundayto discuss the ongoing situation in the Middle East with the Iranianauthorities and plead the case for de-escalation in the region.
According to an official statement released by the country’s foreignministry in Islamabad on Saturday night, Qureshi will “meet Iranian ForeignMinister Javad Zarif and exchange views on the evolving situation in theMiddle East/Gulf region.”
He will then proceed to “Riyadh on 13 January to hold talks with SaudiForeign Minister H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and consult on theissues of regional peace and stability.”
The restive Middle East region found itself on the brink of anotherconflict in the beginning of this month when the United States killed a topIranian military commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani, in an attackauthorized by President Donald Trump.
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Soleimani was a high-profile figure in his country and was thought to bethe man behind Tehran’s military influence in the region. He was killed ina drone strike while he was in Baghdad only a few days after the Americanembassy in Iraq was targeted by pro-Iranian militiamen.
Keeping in view the growing instability in the region, Prime Minister ImranKhan on Wednesday announced he had instructed Qureshi to travel to Iran,Saudi Arabia, and the United States to convey his country’s willingness toplay a constructive role for peace in the region.
