Pakistan played role in facilitating Saudi-Iran thaw: FO.

ISLAMABAD -- The Foreign Office on Friday claimed PakisAtan had played a role in facilitating the dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

'It is obvious that this [Saudi-Iran] agreement is a result of the mediation efforts of China and the constructive talks that took it facilitated and the two sides were able to resolve their differences,' Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told a weekly press briefing.

'We welcome this development. Pakistan like several other countries and friends of both Iran and Saudi Arabia played their part in facilitating the dialogue,' she added.

In this context, the spokesperson recalled that the first meeting of the two foreign ministers took place in Islamabad on the sidelines of an OIC meeting.

'But we do not wish to take away credit from China in this latest agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia on normalisation of relations and congratulate them for their successful diplomatic efforts,' she said.

Says first meeting of two foreign ministers took place on the sidelines of OIC session in Islamabad

Ms Baloch said Pakistan commends China's visionary leadership in coordinating this historic agreement.

'We believe that this diplomatic breakthrough will contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond. We hope this normalisation would define a template for regional cooperation and harmony,' she remarked.

In reply to a question about a negative tweet by a PTI leader about Pakistan-China ties, she said that Islamabad's relationship with Beijing is decades old.

'It is a relationship that has continued to grow in strength over the last several decades. We have been friends through good times and tough times, despite changing situation around us, international developments, and any domestic developments in Pakistan or in China. Both sides are committed to this relationship. One statement by some individual cannot in any way damage this relationship, because it is based on mutual trust, on mutual confidence and the support of the peoples of Pakistan and China, who have for generations supported Pakistan-China friendship,' she said.

Answering a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan has continued to call for peace in the region and security for all its friends, including Saudi Arabia.

'We hope that with this agreement and the normalisation of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, there will be progress on outstanding issues including any differences that they have on Yemen. We hope this would...