A Pakistani source has claimed that Islamabad is counting heavily on China to help push forward a possible US-Iran final deal agreement, according to reports.
The sources add that the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit China at a later stage to break the stalemate in US-Iran peace talks. Earlier on Thursday, Beijing announced that Sharif will travel to China this weekend to meet with President Xi Jinping, but it did not say if the Iranian war would be a topic of discussion.
Islamabad is counting heavily on China to help push forward a possible US-Iran agreement while Pakistan's army chief is awaiting the outcome of Interior Minister Naqvi's talks in Tehran after he met with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Al Arabiya reported, citing a source.
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Pakistan's army chief is ready to visit Tehran if the final text of the draft agreement is completed, Al Arabiya further quoted a Pakistani source. Beijing and Islamabad have both attempted to resolve the Middle East war that was brought on by Israeli and American strikes on Iran in late February.
Pakistan's foreign office said on Friday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will speak with Chinese leaders about the ongoing US-Iran tensions during his visit to Beijing later this week. Beijing and Islamabad are strengthening their coordination over a conflict that has disrupted global energy supplies and threatened wider regional instability.
China has become a major diplomatic supporter of Pakistan's efforts to mediate the conflict. The two nations have worked together to promote a five-point peace initiative that calls for a ceasefire, communication, safeguarding nuclear and civilian facilities, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and adherence to the United Nations Charter.
Since the confrontation began in February after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Pakistan has increasingly positioned itself as a go-between for Tehran and Washington. The battle and ensuing interruptions near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route that transports about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supply, caused energy prices to spike sharply and sparked worries about further economic repercussions.
Sharif will travel to China from May 23 to May 26.
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Tahir Andrabi, a spokesman for Pakistan's foreign office, told reporters Friday that "Pakistan and China have been in close coordination on the standoff in the Middle East and the Gulf." "Yes, this issue will be discussed during the prime minister's visit," he continued, adding that Beijing had backed Pakistan's attempts to resolve the crisis diplomatically.
According to Iranian media sources, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met again in Tehran this week to discuss measures to resolve the crisis.
According to the semi-official Tasnim and ISNA news agencies, Naqvi was assisting in communication efforts meant to provide a framework for putting an end to the conflict and settling disagreements between Washington and Tehran.
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