Beijing, May 25 (SANA) Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang discussed regional developments and diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran during talks in Beijing on Monday, Pakistani state media reported.
The discussions took place during Sharif’s official visit to China, where he praised Beijing’s support for ceasefire and mediation initiatives aimed at restoring stability in the region.
According to Pakistan’s state news agency, Sharif said Islamabad had maintained contacts with Washington, Tehran and Gulf countries as part of efforts to contain the crisis and support diplomatic solutions.
He said Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had engaged with regional and international officials in support of mediation efforts.
Sharif warned that tensions in the Gulf had affected regional and global economies, particularly energy-importing countries such as Pakistan, stressing the need for coordinated international action to prevent further escalation.
The Pakistani premier also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership for supporting regional peace efforts and reaffirmed Islamabad’s backing for Chinese diplomatic initiatives.
For his part, Li said Pakistan and China had maintained close coordination on regional issues and that Beijing was ready to deepen cooperation and expand practical partnerships with Islamabad.
On Sunday, Sharif said Pakistan would continue supporting peace efforts “with sincerity and seriousness” and expressed hope that Islamabad could host a future round of talks between the United States and Iran.
Pakistan hosted an earlier round of indirect U.S.-Iran discussions on April 10 as part of regional mediation efforts aimed at reducing tensions.
R.H/Abd
