*ISLAMABAD – PM in waiting Imran Khan will visit both Saudi Arabia and Iranafter taking oath of the prime minister of Pakistan.*

*Imran Khan was offered a state visit of Iran, Saudi Arabia by therespective heads of state to which he had agreed.*

* Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz called PM-in-waiting Imran Khanon Monday and congratulated him on his party’s victory in the July 25elections.*

The king told Imran that Pakistan was an important ally of Saudi Arabia andthe kingdom wants a close relationship with the South Asian country.

Imran thanked King Salman and said Saudi Arabia has always supportedPakistan in its difficult times.

The PTI chairperson told King Salman that the protection ofHarmain-Sharifain was part of Pakistani’s faith. He has also accepted KingSalman’s offer to visit Saudi Arabia.

On August 4, Imran told Iranian envoy Mehdi Honardoost that Pakistan was“ready to play a constructive and positive role between Iran and SaudiArabia”.

The PTI chairperson had also accepted Iranian President Hasan Rouhani’sinvitation to visit Tehran. However, the visit will be finalised by theforeign ministries of the two countries after the PTI forms the governmentin Islamabad.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, arch-rivals since the 1979 Iranian revolution, arebelieved to have been supporting rival groups in Syria and Iraq.