Islamabad, April 15: The first round of talks between the United States and Iran took place in Islamabad but ended without any conclusive results. Both parties failed to reach an agreement. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced that a second round of discussions is expected to occur in Islamabad as well.
In light of these developments, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is set to embark on an official tour of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar starting Wednesday.
According to Pakistani media outlet Dawn, the Prime Minister will depart from Islamabad to Jeddah for this four-day trip. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed on social media that Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif will be visiting these three countries from April 15 to 18.
A high-level delegation will accompany the Prime Minister, who is scheduled to meet with top Saudi leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
After Saudi Arabia, PM Shahbaz will travel to Turkey to engage with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. His final stop will be in Qatar.
During his visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the Prime Minister will discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation, as well as regional peace and security. In Turkey, he will participate in the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, representing Pakistan’s interests.
This trip comes at a time when a second round of talks regarding a ceasefire between Iran and the US is anticipated. Previously, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey held meetings in Pakistan to address the ongoing tensions in the Middle East involving Iran.
Speculations are also rife that PM Shahbaz may provide updates on the unsuccessful US-Iran negotiations during his foreign tour. Pakistan has been positioning itself as a mediator, hoping to enhance its global image by facilitating dialogue between the two nations.
However, the recent talks in Pakistan yielded no results, leading to further scrutiny of the country’s diplomatic efforts. Following the discussions, a social media post by the Prime Minister drew attention when it revealed a draft status, raising questions about whether the message was authored by him or was a copy-paste from a US draft.
–
Leave a Comment