Regional diplomacy intensifies with talks aimed at de-escalation, advancing cease-fire efforts in Middle East conflict
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Photo: Screengrab
Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt will visit Islamabad from March 29 to 30 at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Ishaq Dar, in an effort to de-escalate tensions in the region amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.
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Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt visit Islamabad for consultations
🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/l6DhGBtnti
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 28, 2026
The Foreign Ministry announced the visits on X in a statement Saturday, noting that Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Hakan Fidan of Turkiye and Dr. Badr Abdelatty of Egypt will visit Pakistan and hold “in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.”
The ministry added that the visiting dignitaries will also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Read: Why is Pakistan involved in efforts to stop the war in Iran?
Further, the statement notes that “Pakistan values its relations with the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt,” and says the visit “will provide an opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan’s cooperation and coordination with these countries across multifaceted areas of mutual interest.”
Besides inviting the dignitaries to Pakistan, Dar also held a telephone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday. Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, announced the conversation on X.
Chinese FM Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and FM Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Wang Yi said so #China appreciates Pakistan’s tireless efforts to de-escalate the Iranian situation and supports #Pakistan in continuing to play its role as mediator.
The two… pic.twitter.com/E8zch4tyBl
— Lin Jian 林剑 (@SpoxCHN_LinJian) March 28, 2026
In the tweet, he noted: “Wang Yi said China appreciates Pakistan’s tireless efforts to de-escalate the Iranian situation and supports Pakistan in continuing to play its role as a mediator.”
The spokesman added that the two sides agreed to work together to promote a ceasefire, resume peace talks, ensure the security of non-military targets and shipping routes and support the United Nations.
Read more: FM Dar urges collective effort to de-escalate Middle East crisis in talks with Iran, Turkish, Iraqi counterparts
This development comes as Pakistan emerges as a key mediator between the US and Iran in their ongoing conflict, which has spread across the Gulf region.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly offered Pakistan as a venue for US-Iran peace talks, an offer that received an extraordinary boost when President Donald Trump retweeted it on his Truth Social platform, a move widely seen in Islamabad as Washington’s tacit approval of Pakistan’s new role as a mediator.
On Thursday, Dar confirmed that indirect communication between the US and Iran was underway through messages relayed by Pakistan, with Turkey and Egypt also assisting diplomatic efforts to ease tensions in the Middle East.
Read also: Pakistan’s good ties with the US, Iran are paying off
The Deputy Prime Minister has engaged with various political figures as Pakistan continues to call for de-escalation of the conflict; these include discussions with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
