In a telephone conversation, both Prime Ministers express a desire to deepen the bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating US-Iran talks in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders discussed the recently held ‘Islamabad Talks’ between the US and Iran hosted by Pakistan. Takaichi appreciated Pakistan’s role in supporting the diplomatic process, saying it was important for regional stability and global energy security.
She expressed Japan’s “full support for the peace process and its importance to regional stability and global energy security,” the statement read.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received a phone call from HE Ms. Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan today.
During their warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders discussed the recently held Islamabad talks between the US and Iran, organized by… pic.twitter.com/9oLAMPiF2L
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) 13 April 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked the Japanese leader for her goodwill and noted that he was grateful to both the American and Iranian delegations for their “comprehensive discussions in Islamabad.” He said Pakistan would continue its efforts to ensure that the ceasefire is maintained, it added.
The Prime Minister also expressed a desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Japan, a sentiment reciprocated by the Japanese Prime Minister. Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination going forward.
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The call comes a day after the US and Iran were unable to reach an agreement to end their war despite marathon talks that lasted about 21 hours. The protracted talks, aimed at ending hostilities that have killed thousands and driven up global oil prices over the past six weeks, ended with both sides blaming each other for the impasse.
On Saturday, US and Iranian delegations arrived in Pakistan for final talks after a two-week immediate ceasefire “everywhere, including Lebanon,” announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz, who later invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad.
The Iranian delegation was led by Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf and assisted by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the US delegation was led by VP JD Vance along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, killing thousands of people in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and leaving tens of thousands injured, with civilian areas, including residential buildings and religious sites, among those affected.
The conflict also expanded geographically. Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries that host US military assets. It also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
