Regional security issues of mutual interests were discussed in the meeting.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping is also expected to visit Saudi Arabia and Iran besides Egypt in accordance with his earlier schedule on the conclusion of Prime Minister Nawaz’s visit to the two countries. The Governor of Riyadh and high officials saw off the Prime Minister and his delegation at the Shah Salman Air base.
The PM and army chief are scheduled to fly on Tuesday for Iran where both the dignitaries would meet Iranian leadership. Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, in a letter to the Security Council President for the month of January Ambassador Elbio Rosselli of Uruguay, has requested the retention on the Council’s agenda of the “India Pakistan question” under which the Kashmir dispute was discussed and resolutions for its settlement adopted.
Earlier PM Nawaz Sharif and General Raheel Sharif were received by key members of the Iranian cabinet on their arrival at the airport.
The COAS reiterated that Pakistan considered Iran an important neighbour, and the people of Pakistan gave great affinity with the people of Iran.
On this occasion Premier Nawaz Sharif said that Muslim Ummah’s unity is the need of the time and that Pakistan is ready to play its role to ease the tensions between brotherly Muslim countries.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry says that Islamabad is deeply concerned at the recent escalation of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Television footage showed the prime minister and army chief arriving at the airport and boarding an aircraft which shortly took off for Riyadh.
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Riyadh snapped diplomatic relations with Tehran after its embassy in Iran was ransacked by protesters. The Sunni and Shiite powerhouses have been rivals for years but the current tensions worsened after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Saudi Shiite cleric who was an outspoken opposition figure on January 2. Meetings with Saudi Arabian officials were also discussed.
