Pakistani premier departs for Saudi Arabia on regional tour to discuss Middle East situation

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday flew to Saudi Arabia as part of his three-nation regional tour ahead of a possible second round of talks between the US and Iran aimed at ending the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Apart from Saudi Arabia, Sharif will also visit Qatar and Türkiye from April 15 to 18, said a statement from Islamabad's Foreign Ministry.

He is scheduled to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman to discuss the regional situation, a Foreign Ministry source told Anadolu.

"The visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar will be in the bilateral context, where the prime minister will meet the leadership of Saudi Arabia and Qatar to discuss ongoing bilateral cooperation as well as regional peace and security," the ministry said.

Sharif will participate in the Fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Türkiye.

During the forum, he will participate in the Leaders’ Panel alongside other world leaders to present Pakistan’s perspective.

"Pakistan’s participation in the Forum reflects its continued commitment to constructive diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and meaningful engagement with the international community on issues of global importance," the ministry statement said.

The visit comes after Islamabad hosted rare in-person talks between the US and Iran last week, which ended without an agreement.

Sharif is accompanied by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior officials.