Pakistan PM embarks on regional diplomacy tour amid Iran–US talks push

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye this week as diplomatic efforts intensify to advance a possible second round of talks between Iran and the United States.

Sharif is scheduled to depart for Jeddah on April 15, where he will meet Saudi leadership before travelling to Doha for discussions focused on bilateral cooperation as well as regional peace and security, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CNN reports.

He will then proceed to Türkiye, where he is expected to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and participate in the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari said the visit aims to strengthen engagement in support of ongoing peace efforts in the region.

Islamabad has recently emerged as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, hosting the first round of direct talks between the two sides on April 11 amid a fragile ceasefire environment. While no agreement was reached, US President Donald Trump has suggested further discussions may take place soon, telling the New York Post that “something could be happening” in Pakistan in the coming days.

It remains unclear whether Sharif’s diplomatic itinerary will affect the timing of any potential follow-up negotiations. The Pakistani prime minister is expected to return to Islamabad on April 18.

By Vugar Khalilov