Uzbekistan praises Pakistan's mediation role in Middle East crisis

ISLAMABAD: Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on Saturday appreciated Pakistan’s role in promoting peace and mediation efforts in the Middle East during a telephone conversation with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the two foreign ministers exchanged views on bilateral relations, regional developments and multilateral cooperation, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening ties between Islamabad and Tashkent.

The Foreign Office said Saidov particularly appreciated Pakistan’s “constructive role in mediation for regional peace and security” amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions linked to the Iran-US-Israel crisis.

Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact and continue consultations on regional and international developments of mutual interest.

The conversation comes as Pakistan has intensified diplomatic engagement with regional and global partners while positioning itself as an active player in efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and Gulf region.

Over recent months, Dar has held a series of high-level contacts with officials from the United States, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia and several other regional states aimed at facilitating dialogue and sustaining ceasefire efforts.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have also significantly expanded bilateral cooperation in recent years across trade, investment, defence and connectivity sectors.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev oversaw the signing of memoranda of understanding worth approximately $3.4 billion during high-level engagements between the two countries.

The two sides also announced a target of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion within five years through enhanced economic cooperation and regional connectivity initiatives.

Among the major agreements signed were pacts covering pharmaceuticals, trade facilitation, business cooperation and defence collaboration.

Pakistan’s Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and Uzbekistan’s pharmaceutical development agency signed an MoU aimed at enhancing cooperation in pharmaceutical regulation and product development.

In the trade sector, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Uzbek Minister for Investments and Trade Laziz Kudratov signed agreements aimed at expanding preferential trade arrangements and strengthening business-to-business cooperation.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Uzbek Defence Minister Shukhrat Khalmukhammedov signed an action plan focused on defence cooperation.

Dar’s diplomatic engagement during the recent Middle East crisis has also drawn appreciation from several countries and international actors.

Last month, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong commended Pakistan’s efforts to advance peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East, while European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas praised Islamabad’s role in creating diplomatic space for dialogue and ceasefire efforts.