ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Fearing that the abrupt escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran may lead to further regional instability and fight against ISIS, Pakistan and world powers have expressed deep concerns over the situation and offered their mediator roles to end the tension between two longtime rivals.
The mass execution which also included of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia earlier this month triggered a series of violent protests against the Kingdom. In the meantime, the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran’s Tehran and Mashhad cities proved more fatal as in response, Riyadh ended its diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic.
Subsequently, the world community including Pakistan expressed serious regrets over the escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and urged both the countries to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further letting the situation get worsen.
In talks between the visiting Saudi Foreign Minister Dr Adel Al-Jubeir and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad on Thursday, Pakistani leadership expressed deep concern at the escalation of the Saudi-Iran diplomatic standoff, and called for resolution of their differences through peaceful means in the larger interest of the Muslim unity in this challenging time.
Earlier on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow regrets the escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and offers to act as a mediator of the ongoing conflict.
“We express sincere regrets over the escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran because we believe these two large Muslim countries are very influential in the region, on the global arena and on the oil market,” a source in the Russian foreign ministry said.
The United States also urged Saudi Arabia and Iran to de-escalate the situation.
“We are urging all sides to show some restraint and to not further inflame tensions that are on vivid display,” the White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday.
In a bid to prevent deepening of the diplomatic crisis, the US secretary of state John Kerry also held separate discussions on phone with Saudi Arabia‘s Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Muhammad Zarif.
The Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also expressed alarm over the consequences of the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and said that his country is ready to do everything it can to help calm flaring tensions between them.
“As Turkey, we are ready to make any effort to solve the problems between the two countries,” Davutoglu told his ruling party in a speech in Ankara Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Meanwhile in a news conference along with his Iranian Counterpart in Tehran on Wednesday, the Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari also proposed mediation to resolve Saudi-Iran tension.
“This responsibility has been given to us and we have been active from the early moments to lessen tensions to prevent a disaster from happening that could affect the entire region,” Ibrahim al-Jaafari said.
