Islamabad, April 11 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated on Saturday Pakistan's commitment to helping achieve peace between the US and Iran, as the two sides agreed to talks amidst a temporary ceasefire.
Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with an Iranian delegation led by the Speaker of the Iranian Consultative Assembly, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, which discussed issues related to ongoing peace efforts as well as bilateral ties.
The delegation also included Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, attended the meeting from the Pakistani side.
"Acknowledging Iran's engagement in the Islamabad talks, the Prime Minister affirmed Pakistan's sincere resolve to continue playing its role as a mediator to help build momentum towards achieving meaningful results in the interest of regional and global peace and stability," the statement said.
The Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad on Friday night for peace talks with the US delegation led by Vice President J D Vance. They were received by Dar, Munir, Naqvi along with National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and other senior officials, the Foreign Office said.
Foreign Minister Dar has expressed the hope that the parties would engage constructively and reiterated Pakistan's desire to continue facilitating the parties towards reaching a lasting and durable solution to the conflict, according to the statement.
Prime Minister Sharif, while announcing a two-week ceasefire on Wednesday, had said that the US and Iran would hold talks in Islamabad this weekend.
On Saturday morning, the Iranian delegation held meetings with senior Pakistani civilian and military leaders, including Prime Minister Sharif and Army Chief Munir, among others, Iran's state-run Press TV reported, without providing any details.
The peace talks are taking place during a two-week halt in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began with the former launching attacks on the latter on February 28.
Sharif also held a meeting with the US delegation led by Vice President Vance, which arrived here earlier in the day to participate in the talks, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The US delegation includes special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
"Commending the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that these talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region," it stated.
Sharif reiterated that Pakistan looked forward to continuing its facilitation efforts to help both sides make progress towards a sustainable solution.
The negotiations between the US and Iran are being closely monitored globally, as their outcome could significantly affect the security of West Asia, global energy markets, and international diplomacy.
The talks are taking place during a two-week halt in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which began with the former launching attacks on the latter on February 28.
Sharif, in a televised speech on Friday night, described the process as entering a “difficult phase” and warned it was a “make-or-break situation”, as efforts shifted from a temporary pause to a more durable settlement.