https://arab.news/8fjae
- Sharif is touring nations that were supportive of Islamabad during latest confrontation with India or helped mediate the conflict
- Sharif held delegation-level talks with Turkish President Erdogan on Sunday, will next visit Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan聽
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is visiting Iran today, Monday, after a visit to Turkiye as part of a regional diplomacy tour following Pakistan鈥檚 worst military standoff with nuclear-armed neighbor India.
Iran鈥檚 foreign minister Abbas Araqchi called for restraint between India and Pakistan and visited both nations following India鈥檚 first strikes on Pakistan on May 7, when New Delhi said it had hit 鈥渢errorist infrastructure.鈥� Pakistan retaliated, saying it had downed six Indian fighter jets.
The conflict went on for nearly four days, with the two nations launching missiles and drones deep into each other鈥檚 territories and exchanging gunfire on their de facto border, the Line of Control, until a ceasefire was announced on May 10. India said its assault was in response to a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that it accused Islamabad of being behind 鈥� a charge it denies.
On Sunday, Sharif reached Turkiye as the first stop in a diplomacy tour to nations that were either supportive of Islamabad during the latest crisis with India, or that helped mediate the conflict.
鈥淭he purpose of the Prime Minister鈥檚 visit was to thank the people of Turkiye, and especially President Tayyip Erdogan, for their full cooperation and support in the recent Pakistan-India crisis,鈥� Sharif鈥檚 office said in a statement.
鈥淧rime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has now left for Tehran, Iran, where he will hold meetings with the Iranian top leadership.鈥�
Sharif will also be visiting Azerbaijan and Tajikistan as part of the five-day tour.
Erdogan spoke by phone with Sharif on May 7 to convey his solidarity after India first hit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir with missiles. Leaders from the two nations had several contacts subsequently and it is widely believed that Turkiye played an important role, besides the US, UAE and 萝莉视频, in convincing India and Pakistan to back off and agree to a ceasefire. The two nations have strong ties, both being largely Muslim countries and sharing historical links.
Iran鈥檚 leadership also offered to mediate the conflict and there were several contacts between its foreign minister and the Pakistani PM and other leaders.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and has been the focus of several wars and diplomatic stand-offs.