Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that both the US and Iran had expressed confidence in Pakistan to facilitate talks between them amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
He made these remarks in a televised address after a quadrilateral moot on the ongoing Middle East crisis. The meeting in Islamabad was also attended the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt.
Dar said he had also held “very productive” bilateral meetings with the three foreign ministers, who also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“As you know, the purpose of this visit of the foreign ministers was to participate in the second meeting of consultations among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt, which was held today in Islamabad.
“You may recall that our first meeting was held in Riyadh on March 19, 2026,” he added.
Sharing details of the quadrilateral meeting, Dar said the four foreign ministers had a very detailed and in-depth discussion on the current regional situation.
“We also discussed possible ways to bring an early and permanent end to the war in the region.”
Dar said the four participants also expressed concerns that the ongoing conflict was “extremely unfortunate for its devastating impact on lives and livelihood across the wider region”.
“We agreed that this war is not in favour of anyone and would only lead to death and destruction; the unity of the Muslim ummah in these challenging times is of utmost importance,” he added.
Moreover, Dar said he briefed the visiting dignitaries on the prospects of potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad.
“The visiting foreign ministers expressed their fullest support to this initiative,” he said.
They “reaffirmed unity to contain the situation, reduce the risks of military escalation and create conditions for structured negotiations between relevant parties”, Dar said.
“The foreign ministers advocated dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable pathway to prevent conflict and to promote regional peace and harmony. They called for upholding principles of United Nations Charter, including respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states,” he said.
Dar added that foreign ministers also discussed ways and means to “further strengthen mutual cooperation among the four brotherly countries”.
He thanked the visiting dignitaries for their support for Pakistan in efforts for peace in the region.
“In this regard, we decided to constitute a committee of four senior officials from the respective ministries of foreign affairs to work out the modalities through mutual understanding and consensus,” he detailed. He thanked the visiting dignitaries for “their support to Pakistan’s efforts for peace in the region”.
Dar said that under the leadership of PM Shehbaz, “Pakistan has maintained regular engagement with our regional and international partners. Pakistan has remained actively involved in all efforts and initiatives aimed at bringing this conflict to an end”.
He added that Pakistan also had a “very important relationship” with the US.
“We have remained actively engaged with the US leadership as well, as part of our efforts to de-escalate the situation and find a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” he said.
In this context, he continued, “Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks”.
“Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days, for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,” he said.
Moreover, he said, he had a detailed telephonic conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and China “fully supports Pakistan’s initiative to host Iran-US talks”.
“Similarly, I had a telephonic conversation with the secretary general of the UN. The secretary general has expressed his full support for the peace initiative by Pakistan.
“I have also held several telephone conversations with my counterparts from different countries around the world. They have all extended their full support and confidence in our efforts.”
Therefore, he said, “there is strong appreciation and support among all our friends for the efforts being made by Pakistan. We will continue our efforts with sincerity and commitment”.
“Pakistan will require prayers and the support of the entire international community for the success of its endeavour to achieve peace and bring a permanent end to this war”, he added,
Convened at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the participants of the quadrilateral meeting, apart from reviewing the evolving regional situation, were also to discuss issues of mutual interest, the Foreign Office (FO) said.
After the moot ended, Dar posted on X that he was pleased to welcome the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt to Islamabad for consultations.
“Grateful for their presence at this critical moment, reflecting our strong fraternal ties. Our candid and constructive discussions focus on the evolving regional situation and advancing peace and stability, while strengthening our partnership and deepening cooperation across diverse domains,” he posted on X.