PM Shehbaz, Saudi crown prince discuss Iran-US talks, stress peace process must not be undermined

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following a phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, said the two leaders agreed that the next phase of Iran-US negotiations must be “guided by a firm commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, and vigilance against any attempt to undermine the peace process”. On Thursday, a long-awaited peace deal was finally signed between the United States and Iran after a preliminary agreement was reached between the two sides earlier in the week, heralding an end to the bitter animosity that has afflicted the Middle East for months. In a post on his X handle, the premier said he held a “warm and most cordial” conversation with the Saudi crown prince and thanked him for the kingdom’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s peace efforts. The premier also congratulated the crown prince on the signing of the “Islamabad Peace Deal”. “His Royal Highness’s wise leadership and the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to regional peace and stability remained vital guiding forces throughout this crisis,” said the post by the prime minister. PM Shehbaz further stated that he “expressed complete satisfaction” with the excellent state of bilateral relations between the two countries and added that Islamabad looked forward to further strengthening its economic partnership with Riyadh. The memorandum of understanding was electronically signed by all parties, with PM Shehbaz putting his signature to the historic document as mediator after US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, bringing it into effect two days earlier than previously expected. The signing of the deal was originally scheduled for Friday in Switzerland. Under the deal, Washington and Tehran have agreed on a framework to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate on key issues within 60 days. However, talks that were planned to take place in Switzerland on Friday were later postponed, as US Vice President JD Vance dropped plans to travel to Geneva. “The