Dar, Turkish counterpart discuss regional developments in phone call

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday night held a telephonic conversation with the Foreign Minister of Turkiye Hakan Fidan, discussing recent regional developments and reafirming their commitment to further strengthening cooperation on matters of mutual interest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated.

According to a post on X, FM Dar and his Turkish counterpart “agreed that dialogue and diplomacy remain the way forward to address regional challenges and promote peace and stability.”

The call came as Islamabad continues to engage with regional and international officials amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, during which Islamabad has emerged as a key mediator.

Last week, FM Dar met US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, United Kingdom High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott, Ambassador of China Jiang Zaidong, and Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to Sweden Ahmed Amjad Ali. During his meetings with the officials, the foreign minister exchanged views regarding recent regional developments.

He stressed that the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, in letter and spirit, was the only way forward, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and security.

Read: Dar urges Iran, US to build on Islamabad MoU

FM Dar also held a joint press briefing with his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide, with the latter commending Pakistan’s “important and constructive role” during the US-Iran conflict, including the leadership and contributions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dar and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, during delegation-level talks in Islamabad.

Eide added that Islamabad had taken on a “massive task” by offering Islamabad not only as the venue but also as the facilitator of negotiations between Washington and Tehran. “What you personally, but also your prime minister, the field marshal, that you have been doing is really a service to the world, and hence also to us,” he said during the press briefing.

The Norwegian foreign minister also noted that he wanted to “reiterate again strong support for the very important role that Pakistan has taken” since the conflict began on February 28.

Read More: Pakistan emerging as global peacemaker: Dar

The meetings came after the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7.

The pact, which is a trilateral security framework, has been described as a defensive arrangement aimed at strengthening collective deterrence, enhancing military cooperation and promoting regional stability. It has emerged as a significant development in the regional security landscape.

The Makkah pact followed last year’s Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Islamabad and Riyadh, which declared that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”.