Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian to safeguard the "hard-earned peace" after Tehran and Washington exchanged massive strikes this week.
"We discussed the evolving regional situation and underscored the imperative of restraint, dialogue and diplomacy to safeguard the hard-earned peace gains of recent months," Sharif posted on social media platform X about his conversation with Pezeshkian.
Sharif added that Pakistan remained ready to continue "as an honest and sincere mediator for lasting regional peace."
Prime Minister’s Office described the call as “warm and cordial,” saying Sharif voiced “deep concern over the recent escalation in tensions in the region” and stressed the need for urgent efforts to restore peace and stability.
Sharif also dialled Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Friday to review the latest regional developments, with a particular focus on diplomatic efforts and engagement between the US and Iran, an Amiri Diwan said.
Ceasefire over?
The development comes after US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Washington has agreed to continue talks with Tehran, but he also reiterated that the US has informed Iran that the ceasefire is no longer in effect.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“But the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” the president added.
The US repeatedly struck Iran this week after Tehran targeted multiple vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, but there were no strikes on Thursday.
Diplomatic parleys continue
US network CNN reported on Friday that Qatari negotiators have travelled to Iran for talks with officials there as part of efforts to ease tensions and create conditions for a resumption of US-Iran negotiations.
The trip was coordinated with the US, CNN said, as mediators seek to revive dialogue after a pause in fighting on Friday following a series of escalating strikes that threatened to derail a potential agreement.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to travel to Oman on Saturday for talks on the Strait of Hormuz and bilateral ties, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported.
Earlier, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Qatar stressed the need to contain escalating regional tensions and prevent the conflict from widening, Egypt's foreign ministry said.
According to the ministry on Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, discussed the latest regional developments as part of ongoing coordination between the two countries.
