ISLAMABAD: -The foreign office in its statement said Pakistan was deeply concerned at the recent escalation of tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
People in Pakistan and abroad await the outcome of the initiative taken by Nawaz Sharif to bring the two rivals to the negotiating table, Dawn online reported.
After their arrival in Saudi, Pak army General Raheel Sharif held a meeting with the Saudi defence minister.
The premier and army chief, earlier today travelled to Saudi Arabia in the same plane, and will later visit Tehran in an attempt to persuade the two rivals to de-escalate and resolve their disputes diplomatically.
They are accompanied by National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi.
The prime minister will also meet Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Jan 19 at the Presidential Palace, said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
With the army chief in the delegation, the visit has assumed added importance and it is hoped that Pakistan would make a serious attempt to defuse tension between the two countries, Dawn newspaper reported.
‘Policy of promoting brotherhood’
Pakistan is deeply concerned at the recent escalation of tension between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The prime minister has called for resolution of differences through peaceful means, in the larger interest of Muslim unity, particularly during these challenging times, added the official release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
It further said that Pakistan had consistently advocated the policy of promoting brotherhood among member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The Foreign Office said in its statement that Pakistan enjoyed cordial and brotherly relations with both the countries, which were characterised by strong bonds of affinity, mutual respect and solidarity, and drew strength from shared historical, cultural and Islamic values.
Although, the two countries have been on the opposing sides for a long time, on matters relating to the Middle East or international issues, Riyadh and Tehran have of late become quite aggressive against each other.
The execution earlier this month of Saudi dissident Sheikh Nimr Baqir Al Nimr, who was a fierce critic of the royal family, sparked tensions bordering almost on hostility between the two countries.
Riyadh snapped diplomatic relations with Tehran after its embassy in Iran was ransacked by protesters.
Pakistan had consistently advocated the policy of promoting brotherhood among member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the statement said.
Iran welcomes other nations’ efforts to bring Tehran and Riyadh together
Meanwhile, Iran says it welcomes any efforts by other nations to play a peacemaker role between Tehran and Riyadh, said the spokesman of Iran’s Foreign Ministry Hossein Jaber Ansari.
Reuters previously quoted the government sources on Jan.17 as saying that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to Saudi Arabia and Iran in a bid to bridge the growing divide between the two countries.
Irans relations with Saudi Arabia, as well as its allies have severely deteriorated recently after the kingdoms execution of a prominent Shia cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, on Jan. 2.
Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Djibouti, Bahrain and the UAE took diplomatic actions against Tehran after angry Iranians stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad, protesting against al-Nimrs execution.
Right after the attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions, Riyadh and its mentioned allies broke off or downgraded relations with Iran.
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