Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Visits Saudi Arabia to Discuss US-Iran Peace Talks

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for a four-day visit. During his stay, he is scheduled to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss regional developments and the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Saudi Arabia has extended economic relief by providing Pakistan with $3 billion and has indefinitely extended the maturity of a $5 billion deposit.

April 16, Jeddah – On the eve of a potential second round of peace talks between the US and Iran, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached Saudi Arabia for a four-day diplomatic visit. Last week, Washington and Tehran held high-level talks in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, marking the first such engagement in decades. Building on those discussions, Sharif is set to meet senior Saudi officials during his visit.

The prime minister’s delegation includes senior officials such as Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who has played a mediating role in the US-Iran talks. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif will have in-depth discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman focusing on the regional situation and the US-Iran tension. After Saudi Arabia, Sharif will proceed to Qatar and Turkey.

In Turkey, he is scheduled to participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and hold bilateral talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Following an attack launched by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28, conflict erupted in the Middle East. Iran retaliated by targeting US allied nations in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and restricting energy exports, causing global oil prices to surge. The peace talks in Islamabad aim to end this conflict.

Although the first round of talks yielded no definitive outcomes, the fact that both parties returned to the negotiating table is seen as significant progress. US President Joe Biden declared a two-week ceasefire and indicated that talks could resume in Islamabad later this week. While the US has ordered a naval blockade on Iran, the ceasefire set to end next week remains in effect as of now.

Meanwhile, during Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia, a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief General Asim Munir traveled to Iran. General Munir was welcomed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran. According to Iranian state television, General Munir is carrying a new message from Washington to discuss the second phase of the talks.

Amid Prime Minister Sharif’s visit, Pakistan’s struggling economy received substantial support from Riyadh. On Wednesday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance announced that Saudi Arabia pledged $3 billion to boost Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves. Additionally, Saudi Arabia extended indefinitely the maturity period on a $5 billion deposit previously made to Pakistan’s central bank. This financial package comes soon after Pakistan’s announcement to repay multibillion-dollar loans to the UAE.