Saudi, Egypt and Turkiye foreign ministers in Pakistan to discuss West Asia tensions

Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye are in Pakistan on Sunday to attend a two-day quadrilateral summit organised to find a way to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in West Asia.  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Islamabad on Saturday, while their Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud reached here on Sunday at the invitation of Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.  The summit is Pakistan’s attempt to broker peace in West Asia.  Dar held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Egypt and Turkiye on Sunday on the sidelines of the summit. He is expected to hold talks with his Saudi counterpart separately as well.

During the visit, the leaders will hold consultations on regional developments and also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the FO added.

In a press statement on Saturday, the FO said the visiting foreign ministers will hold “in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region”.
Separately, the FO in a midnight post on X said that Dar held a telephonic conversation with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and “discussed the evolving regional situation and ongoing developments”.

Dar said that he emphasised the need for de-escalation, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path for lasting peace.

In a related development, Dar announced Iran agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which the world’s 20 per cent of energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships are allowed by Iran to cross it.

“I am pleased to share a great news that the Government of Iran has agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz; two ships will cross the Strait daily,” he said.

“This is a welcome and constructive gesture by Iran and deserves appreciation. It is a harbinger of peace and will help usher stability in the region,” he added.

In the post, the Pakistan foreign minister tagged US Vice President J D Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Araghchi and concluded it by saying that “dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward”.

Pakistan on Thursday said that it was “actively and constructively engaged” with all stakeholders in the region and beyond to peacefully end the Iran war.