Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said today: "Earlier today, I had a detailed phone conversation lasting over an hour with my brother and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.
I reiterated Pakistan's strong condemnation of Israel's ongoing attacks on Iran, including recent strikes on civilian infrastructure, and expressed Pakistan's solidarity with the courageous Iranian people, reaffirming our support for Iran. I once again extended condolences for the innocent lives lost and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured and displaced. At the same time, I also thanked him for his appreciation of Pakistan's sincere efforts to promote regional peace and facilitate dialogue.
I briefed him on Pakistan's ongoing diplomatic mediation efforts—our side is engaging with the United States as well as fraternal Gulf and Islamic countries to encourage dialogue and de-escalate tensions."
Commentary: This time, Pakistan is stepping in as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran, attempting to remain impartial: on one hand, publicly supporting Iran and condemning Israel’s attacks on civilian facilities, thus upholding the stance of Muslim brotherhood and earning Iran’s trust; on the other hand, proactively reaching out to the U.S. and Gulf states, relaying messages back and forth between both sides. By avoiding favoring either party and escalating tensions, Pakistan leverages its dual role to build a communication bridge acceptable to both parties who otherwise cannot directly talk to each other.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860902850415817/
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