Qatar PM praises Pakistan’s efforts for peace through Middle East talks in call with Dar

Qatar’s Prime Minister on Saturday praised Pakistan for its efforts to promote peace through dialogue and diplomacy in the Middle East during a call with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar following rising tensions following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Tensions in the Middle East rose sharply after US and Israeli airstrikes last month killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, triggering a wave of retaliation by Tehran and widening the conflict across the region. In response to the attacks, Iran launched retaliatory strikes against US military bases in several Gulf countries, significantly expanding the scope of the confrontation.

Pakistan has since stepped up its diplomatic efforts to play its role in easing tensions and emerged as a key mediator between the United States and Iran in the ongoing conflict that had spread across the Gulf region.

According to a statement issued today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in X, Foreign Minister Dar spoke with the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman.

“The two leaders discussed prevailing regional and international developments and emphasized the importance of urgent de-escalation of tensions. The Qatari side appreciated Pakistan’s continuous efforts to promote peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy.”

The ministry said both sides reaffirmed the deep-rooted ties between Pakistan and Qatar and agreed to remain in close touch on developments.

Foreign Minister Dar also held a telephone conversation with his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, in which they discussed regional and international developments, as well as bilateral issues of mutual interest.

“Reaffirming strong brotherly ties between Pakistan and Indonesia, they agreed to remain in close contact.”

Earlier in the day, MOFA also announced that the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt would visit Islamabad from March 29 to 30 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dar.

Read more: Why is Pakistan involved in efforts to stop the war in Iran?

The four nations have been involved in trying to mediate between Washington and Tehran in the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, and all are highly vulnerable to threats to energy supplies and trade routes.

Pakistan had conveyed to Tehran a US proposal to end the war and had offered to host talks, and Iranian officials indicated that any negotiations could take place in Pakistan or Turkey.

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 reposted it on his Truth Social platform, a move widely seen in Islamabad as Washington’s tacit endorsement of Pakistan’s emerging role as a mediator.

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Dar confirmed that indirect communication was taking place between the United States and Iran through messages transmitted by Pakistan, and that Turkiye and Egypt were also collaborating on diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East.