PM Shehbaz condemns ‘serious regional escalation’ in call with Saudi Crown Prince

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday held a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent missile response across the region.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Sharif condemned the “serious regional escalation” triggered by the Israeli attack on Iran and the ensuing strikes affecting several Gulf countries.

The prime minister conveyed Pakistan’s full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and assured the Saudi leadership of Islamabad’s unwavering support. He said Pakistan would always stand with its “Saudi brothers and sisters” under all circumstances.

Mr Sharif also expressed Pakistan’s readiness to play a constructive role in defusing tensions and voiced hope that the holy month of Ramazan would bring peace and stability to the region at the earliest.

Dar-Araghchi contact

Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a telephone call from his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

During the conversation, Senator Dar strongly condemned what he described as unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to the escalating hostilities.

A statement by the Foreign Office said the two leaders reviewed the rapidly evolving situation in Iran and the wider region. Mr Dar stressed the urgent need for the resumption of diplomatic engagement and underscored the importance of de-escalation through peaceful and negotiated means.

Region on edge

The diplomatic outreach came as Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran, marking one of the most serious confrontations in recent years. US President Donald Trump said the operation aimed to dismantle Tehran’s missile capabilities and prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran responded with a large-scale missile barrage targeting Israel and US-linked facilities in the Gulf. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the strikes, saying they included targets linked to the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, as well as additional American assets across the Gulf and sites inside Israel.

Explosions and heightened air defence activity were reported in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and parts of Iraq, alongside multiple locations in Israel.

Several Gulf states, including Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan, said their air defence systems intercepted incoming missiles. Emirati state media reported that one person was killed in Abu Dhabi.

In Iran, a strike on a school reportedly killed 24 people, according to a provincial official. Smoke was seen rising from Tehran’s Pasteur district, home to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s residence, amid a heavy security deployment in the capital.

Iranian state television said President Masoud Pezeshkian was “safe and sound,” while local media reported missile impacts in parts of Tehran.

As hostilities intensified, regional governments moved to close airspace and heighten security, raising fears of a broader conflict with far-reaching consequences for the Middle East.