Foreign minister to reaffirm support for regional sovereignty, call for dialogue as Iran-Israel tensions escalate
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar holds a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of the MFC-OIC emergency session in Jeddah on Palestine. PHOTO COURTESY: PTV
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Riyadh on March 18-19 to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of regional countries, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
In an article on X, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Dar would use the meeting to reiterate Pakistan’s diplomatic stance amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
“During the meeting, the DPM/FM will express full support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of all brotherly countries in the region, and call for an end to all attacks on their territory,” the statement said.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dar will reaffirm Pakistan’s call for an immediate end to the ongoing conflict and emphasize the need to resume dialogue and diplomacy. He is also expected to highlight Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives and its commitment to play a constructive role in addressing the region’s growing security challenges.
The visit comes as the war led by the United States and Israel against Iran intensifies, worsening instability in the Middle East. Iranian state television reported Wednesday that Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles carrying fragmentation warheads, calling the attack a retaliation for Israel’s assassination of Iranian security chief Ali Larijani.
Earlier, on March 12, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Riyadh for detailed discussions on the regional situation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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Amid growing tensions following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Pakistan has reiterated its strong strategic commitment to Saudi Arabia while calling for restraint to avoid a wider regional conflict.
Prime Minister’s Foreign Media Spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi previously highlighted the depth of ties between Islamabad and Riyadh, saying Pakistan would stand with Saudi Arabia if necessary.
“The question is not whether Pakistan could come to Saudi Arabia’s aid…we will. Whatever happens, no matter when,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s immediate priority remained preventing further escalation and ensuring that regional partners were not drawn deeper into the conflict.
Iran responded to the US-Israeli strikes with waves of drone and missile attacks not only against Israel but also against Gulf states hosting US military installations, including Saudi Arabia, widening the regional impact of the conflict.
The escalation has hit key infrastructure in Gulf countries, including airports, ports, hotels, and oil and military installations. Disruptions to oil and gas shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz – a route that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas – have intensified economic concerns.
Airspace closures in the region have also forced airlines to cancel around 40,000 flights, marking the largest disruption to global air travel since the COVID-19 pandemic.
