ISLAMABAD -Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s new offer to Iran and Saudi Arabia fordefusing tensions between the two states. PM Khan as offered to ‘host inIslamabad’ the top officials of Iran and Saudi Arabia for negotiations onongoing conflict.
In an attempt to reduce tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, PakistaniPrime Minister Imran Khan met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehranduring his one-day official trip on Sunday. The two leaders emphasised theneed for peace in the region.
“This visit to Iran and the visit which I will undertake to Saudi Arabia onTuesday is a Pakistan-led initiative. I will go with a positive mind toSaudi. Pakistan will play the role of a facilitator. I am willing to hostboth countries in Islamabad”, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khanlinksaidafter the meeting, Sputnik has reported.
Khan added that the issue between the two rivals is complex, but warbetween “Saudi and Iran should never happen”.
“When I was in New York, I was asked by US President Donald Trump tofacilitate these talks and we will do all what we can. We would facilitateso that sanctions can be lifted, a nuclear deal can be signed”, Imran Khansaid during his joint presser with the Iranian president.
Iran indicated appreciation for the steps taken by Pakistan to de-escalatethe situation in this region.
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“Regional issues have to be resolved through regional means and dialogue.We also emphasised that any goodwill gesture will be responded withgoodwill gesture and good words”, the Iranian president said, while addingthat the two leaders had discussed ways that the nuclear deal can berestored.
It is worth mentioning that a similar mediation attempt was made by formerPakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2016, but did not find muchsupport in Saudi Arabia.
The standoff between Iran and the United States, as well as the row betweenSaudi Arabia and Iranlink,has over the past several months prompted the situation in the Persian Gulfto deteriorate.
