Sharif says S. Arabia, Iran have welcomed Pakistan’s peace-brokering initiative

Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said Pakistan’s initiative for a’mediation trip’to Saudi Arabia and Iran has been welcomed by both countries and he expected it to progress.

Sharif said that leaders of both countries appreciated Pakistan’s effort to reduce tensions between them and received a positive response.

The Prime Minister visited Iran after visiting Riyadh as a move for defusing tensions between the two countries that were sparked by execution of Saudi dissident Sheikh Nimr and the subsequent attack on Saudi mission in Iran by protesters.

Sharif said that in the next step Iran and Pakistan would appoint ‘focal persons’ for dealing with the matter.

Sharing the essence of his meetings in Tehran and Riyadh, Mr Sharif noted that neither wanted tensions.

The Prime Minister emphasised on undertaking ‘sincere efforts’ and said Pakistan was already acting with sincerity.(ANI)