Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged restraint and called for the immediate restoration of peace and stability in the region during separate telephone conversations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani amid recent regional tensions after the outbreak of fresh hostilities between the United States and Iran.

An interim ceasefire agreement signed between Washington and Tehran — under the mediation of Pakistan — was intended to provide a 60-day window for negotiations on a permanent agreement, but indirect talks in Qatar ended last week with no sign of headway and the US military unleashed a new wave of strikes against Iran on Tuesday. Iran subsequently said it had targeted US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait and that it had shot down a US MQ-9 drone attempting to interfere in the operation. Bahrain’s army ​later said it had thwarted Iranian attacks. 

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office today, the premier held a telephone conversation with the Iranian president.

“The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding provides a lasting foundation for promoting mutual understanding, respect and shared prosperity in the region and beyond,” the prime minister said while underscoring the importance of honouring the mutual commitments and responsibilities under the agreement.

He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promoting regional peace and assured President Pezeshkian that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible support in playing “a sincere and constructive role” in restoring and maintaining regional peace and stability.

The premier urged Iran and all other relevant parties to exercise restraint and refrain from taking any steps that could undermine the peace gains made over the past few months.

President Pezeshkian thanked PM Shehbaz, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Pakistan’s other senior leadership for attending the funeral prayers and burial of the late Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei.

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He also reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to regional peace and appreciated Pakistan’s support and constructive role in that regard.

The two leaders reviewed progress on decisions taken during President Pezeshkian’s visit to Islamabad last month and agreed to expedite their implementation to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The prime minister also conveyed his best wishes and warm regards to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei.

The two leaders agreed to remain in contact and continue close consultations on matters of mutual interest, including regional peace and stability.

PM Shehbaz said he discussed the evolving regional situation and underscored the imperative of restraint, dialogue and diplomacy to safeguard the “hard-earned peace gains of recent months”.

He added that he reaffirmed Pakistan’s “readiness to continue playing its role as an honest and sincere mediator for lasting regional peace”.

Later, in a separate telephone conversation with Qatar’s emir, PM Shehbaz expressed deep concern over the recent regional tensions and reaffirmed Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the people of Qatar in the wake of the recent attacks.

According to a PMO statement, the prime minister thanked the Qatari leadership for its consistent support for peace efforts that led to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and the first round of high-level technical talks at Bürgenstock.

The prime minister urged all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any action that could jeopardise regional peace and stability.

The two leaders agreed that continued diplomatic engagement and meaningful dialogue were essential for peace, and that all parties should implement the commitments made under the peace memorandum.

It further added that Sheikh Tamim appreciated the leadership roles played by PM Shehbaz, FM Dar and CDF Munir in efforts to promote regional peace.

He also assured the prime minister that Qatar would continue to support efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

“I conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brotherly people of Qatar and stressed the need for restraint, dialogue and diplomacy to preserve regional peace. I also thanked HH the emir for Qatar’s steadfast support for peace efforts that led to the Islamabad MoU and reaffirmed our shared commitment to advancing peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” PM Shehbaz said of his talks with Qatar’s leader.

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Diplomacy is happening behind the scenes right now to ease tensions in the US-Iran conflict, CNN reported earlier today, citing US officials.

Multiple sources, two from mediating countries and the other a US official, told the media outlet that the regional governments have been trying to defuse tensions between the two countries.

Sources said officials from Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia held multiple phone calls with US and Iranian officials on Wednesday in an effort to reduce tensions.

“There are extensive diplomatic efforts to first agree with both sides on de-escalation and then set a date for another round of negotiations between the technical teams,” one regional source involved in the mediation said.

Pakistan urged restraint from both sides on Wednesday after the fresh round of hostilities.

Pakistan and Qatar on Thursday stepped up diplomatic efforts to salvage the fragile peace process. Diplomatic sources said Pakistan and Qatar, the two principal facilitators of the June peace agreement, remain in close contact with both Tehran and Washington in an effort to restore the ceasefire and resume negotiations on outstanding issues, including maritime security, sanctions relief and implementation of the MoU.

Diplomatic observers say the coming days will be critical for the future of the agreement. While neither Tehran nor Washington has formally withdrawn from the MoU, both sides now accuse the other of violating its provisions, making the task of mediators increasingly difficult.

Despite the sharp escalation, Pakistani officials remain hopeful that sustained diplomatic engagement can prevent a complete collapse of the peace process.

Officials believe that maintaining communication channels with both capitals remains essential to containing the crisis and steering the parties back towards negotiations before the conflict spirals into another full-scale regional confrontation.