Islamabad, March 29 The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey arrived in Pakistan on Sunday to attend a two-day quadrilateral summit organized to find a way to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Islamabad on Saturday, while their Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, arrived here on Sunday at the invitation of Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The summit is Pakistan's attempt to broker peace in West Asia.
Dar held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Egypt and Turkey on Sunday on the sidelines of the summit. He is also expected to hold separate talks with his Saudi counterparts.
During the visit, the leaders will consult on regional developments and also meet with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Foreign Office said.
In a press statement on Saturday, the Foreign Office said that the visiting foreign ministers will have "in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region."
Separately, the Foreign Office in a late-night post on X said that Dar had a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and "discussed the evolving regional situation and ongoing developments."
Dar said that he emphasized the need for de-escalation, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path for lasting peace.
In a related development, Dar announced that Iran had agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world's energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships are allowed by Iran to cross it.
"I am pleased to share the great news that the Government of Iran has agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz; two ships will cross the Strait daily," he said.
"This is a welcome and constructive gesture by Iran and deserves appreciation. It is a harbinger of peace and will help usher stability in the region," he added.
In the post, the Pakistani foreign minister tagged US Vice President J D Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Araghchi, and concluded by saying that "dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward."
Pakistan said on Thursday that it was "actively and constructively engaged" with all stakeholders in the region and beyond to peacefully end the Iran war.
