By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held a series of telephone conversations with leaders across the Muslim world, using the occasion of Eid al-Fitr to exchange greetings while pressing for an immediate de-escalation of the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, has expanded across the region, with Tehran targeting US bases and assets in other countries, including Azerbaijan and Israel striking Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. In each call, Sharif and his counterparts stressed the urgent need for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the tensions, according to statements issued by the Prime Minister’s Office and the premier’s posts on X.
The outreach reflected Pakistan’s determination to position itself as a proponent of restraint amid a conflict that threatens further regional instability and has already spilled beyond Iran’s borders.
In a conversation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Sharif reiterated his strong condemnation of the attacks against Azerbaijan and expressed Pakistan’s full solidarity and support with the “brotherly people of Azerbaijan in these challenging times,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. The two leaders called for an immediate de-escalation, urging “dialogue and diplomacy” to resolve outstanding issues. Sharif had voiced “serious concern” over the attacks on Azerbaijan two weeks earlier in a post on X.
The call also served to reaffirm the positive trajectory of bilateral relations. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the state of Pakistan-Azerbaijan ties and pledged to strengthen them further, the statement said. Sharif conveyed heartfelt Eid al-Fitr wishes to Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan, sentiments that were warmly reciprocated. Sharif repeated the message in his own post on X: “I reiterated my strong condemnation of the attacks against Azerbaijan and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters. We agreed on the urgent need for de-escalation and resolution of tensions through dialogue and diplomacy, while reaffirming our shared commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-Azerbaijan brotherly ties.”
Sharif’s discussion with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim similarly blended festive greetings with calls for peace. The two leaders prayed for “peace and harmony of the Ummah” and agreed on the need for de-escalation in Iran and the Gulf region, pledging to continue joint efforts to advance peace, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. They expressed satisfaction with the momentum in bilateral relations and vowed to strengthen “fraternal ties.” Sharif also felicitated Ibrahim, the Malaysian government and people on Eid al-Fitr. In his X post, he noted that the pair had discussed the “evolving situation in Iran and the Gulf region, and agreed on the urgent need for de-escalation and continued joint efforts to promote peace through dialogue and diplomacy.”
The premier’s call with Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev followed a similar pattern. The two exchanged views on the hostilities in Iran and the Gulf region and “stressed the need for an immediate de-escalation and use of dialogue and diplomacy for resolution of all disputes,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. In what was described as a “most cordial conversation,” Sharif conveyed heartfelt Eid wishes, which Mirziyoyev warmly returned. The leaders expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of Mirziyoyev’s visit to Pakistan last month and agreed that regular follow-up on key decisions would further bolster bilateral ties. Sharif echoed the assessment in his X post, underscoring the importance of continued follow-up on the visit while reiterating the call for de-escalation.
With Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Sharif reaffirmed the “strong and brotherly relations” between Pakistan and Egypt and Pakistan’s commitment to deepening cooperation across all areas of mutual interest. He appreciated Egypt’s “constructive diplomatic role in regional and international issues, particularly its significant contribution to peace efforts in the Middle East,” the Prime Minister’s Office said. Both leaders exchanged Eid greetings and voiced serious concerns over the evolving situation in Iran and the Gulf region. They agreed to continue diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation and the restoration of peace and normalcy.
In a separate post on X, Sharif said he had spoken with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rehman to convey warm Eid al-Fitr greetings. The two recalled the “historic, fraternal and familial bonds” between their countries and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation “across all spheres.” They also exchanged views on regional developments and the situation in the Middle East, agreeing on “the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for peace and stability.”
Sharif’s conversation with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was particularly pointed on the issue of Israeli actions. In a warm and cordial exchange, he conveyed Eid greetings, which were reciprocated, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strongest condemnation of the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon,” which the Prime Minister’s Office said had caused “the tragic loss of innocent lives” as well as injuries and displacement of civilians. Sharif expressed firm solidarity with the Lebanese government and people, reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support for Lebanon’s “unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination in the days ahead.
A day earlier, Sharif had held similar discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, in which the Middle East situation was also addressed.
Separately on Friday, China called for an end to the fighting, warning of its impact on global energy supplies, shipping and trade as the nearly three-week-old conflict showed no sign of slowing. “History and reality have repeatedly shown the world that force is not the solution to problems and armed conflict will only breed new hatred,” Lin Jian, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said when asked whether Beijing had a message for Muslim communities marking the end of Ramadan. He described the “still widening war” in the Middle East as harmful to the common interests of all countries and repeated Beijing’s position that all sides should cease fighting and ensure that energy flows from the region remain unimpeded.
The remarks came on the 23rd anniversary of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. “The unjust war should not go on,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Emmanuel Bonne, the top diplomatic adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, in a separate call. Wang urged France, as a fellow permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, to step up strategic coordination with China and “prevent other countries from becoming further involved” in the conflict. He has spoken with counterparts from every permanent Security Council member except the United States since the war began.
Analysts said the conflict offered Beijing an opportunity to cast itself as the more reliable superpower. The fighting has already delayed a planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump — a session that had been viewed as a potential reset in relations between the two economic giants, which have been strained by U.S. tariffs.
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