Prime Minister Shehbaz thanks Saudi, Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers for supporting regional peace efforts

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday hosted the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, following a quadrilateral meeting held by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

In an article on X, he reaffirmed Islamabad’s call for collective efforts to end hostilities. “It was a pleasure to receive His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan this evening,” he said, adding that he conveyed his greetings to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“I reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with the Kingdom and appreciated Saudi Arabia’s remarkable restraint in these difficult times,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said. He stressed the importance of unity among Islamic countries and recognized Saudi Arabia’s leading role within the Muslim Ummah.

“We agreed to remain in close coordination in our common quest for peace and stability in the region,” the message concluded.

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In another article on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz shared details of his meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty.

“I stressed the need for collective efforts to urgently end the hostilities that are causing heavy loss of life, economic damage and destruction of property, not only in Iran, but in several brotherly Muslim countries,” he said.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong commitment and determination to play a positive role in bringing Iran and the United States to the negotiating table” and appreciated the “valuable contributions” of Turkey and Egypt on this issue.

Shehbaz concluded by expressing gratitude for the “countries’ confidence in Pakistan’s sincere efforts for regional peace and stability”.

After the conclusion of the four-party talks, the visiting dignitaries left Islamabad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on X early Monday morning.

Yesterday’s meeting ended with initial discussions that reportedly focused on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Foreign ministers of the three regional powers landed in Islamabad for the negotiations. The discussions came as Iran warned the United States against launching a ground attack and as global oil prices soared amid continued fighting between Iran, the United States and Israel.

Countries meeting in Pakistan have submitted proposals to Washington related to maritime traffic and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, said five sources familiar with the matter. Reutersas part of broader efforts to stabilize maritime flows.

The Strait of Hormuz was previously a conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, but Iran effectively cut off maritime flows through it in response to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that began a month ago.

Pakistan, which like Turkey borders Iran, has leveraged its close ties with Tehran and Washington to become a key diplomatic channel in the conflict, while Ankara and Cairo have also played a role.

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A Pakistani source said proposals, including those from Egypt, had been conveyed to the White House by the countries before Sunday’s meeting and included Suez Canal-style fee structures.

Two other Pakistani sources said Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia could form a consortium to manage oil flows through the waterway, and asked Pakistan to participate. The first Pakistani source said Islamabad had not been formally invited to join and maintains it will not do so.

The proposal for a management consortium was discussed with the United States and Iran, the sources said.

After the four-party talks, in a televised statement, Dar announced that Islamabad could host high-stakes talks between Iran and the United States “in the coming days.” “I briefed the visiting foreign ministers on the prospects of possible negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad. The visiting foreign ministers expressed their full support for this initiative,” Dar said.

Furthermore, he said, “Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides towards a comprehensive and lasting settlement,” adding that Tehran and Washington had expressed confidence in Islamabad’s role as a neutral facilitator.