ISLAMABAD            -      Pakistan yesterday said it wanted to enhance partnership with Iran being a friendly neighbour.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan valued its relations with Iran and had always remained committed to strong ties with Tehran.

Speaking to outgoing Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan Mehdi Honardost, the Foreign Minister appreciated the services rendered by the Iranian Ambassador in promoting bilateral relations and cooperation.

Last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan visisted Saudi Arabia after holding talks with the Iranian leadership in Tehran to defuse the tension in the Gulf.

Prime Minister Khan said that he was on a mission to act as a “facilitator” between Tehran and Riyadh to defuse rising tensions in the Gulf.

Earlier, at a news conference in Tehran with Iranian President Hasan Rouhani, PM Imran Khan had warned: “Any conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia would cause poverty in the world. Pakistan suffered 70,000 casualties in the last 15 years in the war on terror, Afghanistan is still suffering, there is terrible devastation in Syria, we don’t want another conflict in this part of the world.”

Emphasising that the visits to Tehran and Riyadh were Pakistan’s own ‘initiative,’ PM Khan said he was also approached by US President Donald Trump to “facilitate some sort of dialogue between Iran and the United States.”

Washington is backing Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace amid Prime Minister Khan’s visits to the Muslim-majority countries.

The US has already sent messages to Pakistan, appreciating Islamabad’s efforts to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia to the talks table. Pakistan is regularly briefing the US counterparts on the regional developments amid tensions.

This was the Prime Minister’s second visit to Iran this year. The Prime Minister also had a bilateral meeting with the President of Iran on the sidelines of 74th UNGA Session in New York in September 2019.

In 2016, the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had mediated between Saudi Arabia and Iran in a bid to defuse tensions between the two countries that soared after the hanging of prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan has strong relations with Saudi Arabia, with more than 2.5 million of its nationals living and working in the kingdom, but it also maintains good relations with Iran and represents Tehran’s consular interests in the United States.

FM Qureshi said that Pakistan was playing an active role to defuse tension in its neighbourhood.

Mehdi Honardost also admired Pakistan’s role in establishing peace in the region and strengthening relations between the two countries.

Last month, FM Qureshi said US President Donald Trump was “eager” to receive a telephone call from Prime Minister Imran Khan as Islamabad launched a mediatory role on the Gulf crises and US-Iran tensions.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said Pakistan’s ties with the US had “greatly improved” and “they (President Trump) are eager to receive a call from Prime Minister Imran Khan.”

Iranian Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif also appreciated efforts of Prime Minister Imran Khan for peace and stability in the region. In a tweet, he expressed gratitude to Imran Khan for his efforts to promote peace in the region. The Iranian minister invited leaderships of all the regional countries to work in unison for peace, security and prosperity of the region.