Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reached Cairo on Saturday to hold talks with his counterparts from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye, the foreign ministry said, as the four countries prepare to discuss regional security issues amid ongoing Middle East tensions.
The meeting in Cairo will take place on Sunday and mark the fourth gathering of the R-4, a diplomatic framework launched by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan in March amid the US-Iran conflict and wider instability in the Middle East.
Created to coordinate positions on regional crises and support de-escalation efforts, the grouping has since met regularly to discuss political, security, and economic developments in the region.
“Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar departed Islamabad for Cairo, Egypt, to participate in the 4th Meeting of the R-4 Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said Dar will also meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and hold separate bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye.
The talks will also focus on enhancing Pakistan-Egypt cooperation and reviewing regional and international developments, the foreign ministry added.
Pakistan considers its ties with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye a foreign policy priority and says the R-4 reflects their shared commitment to consultation, cooperation, and regional stability.
Dar’s visit comes as Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran to meet senior Iranian officials and follow up on US-Iran peace negotiations following the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.
Pakistan continues to play the role of a mediator by hosting rare US-Iran talks in April, facilitating backchannel communications and coordinating diplomatic efforts with R4 countries and China.