Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hailed Saudi Arabia for showing “remarkable restraint” during the ongoing Middle East hostilities and stressed the need for urgent de-escalation.

He made the remarks during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, wherein the two discussed Iran’s retaliatory attacks sparked by the US-Israel military actions on February 28.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) about the phone call early this morning termed their conversation “warm and cordial”.

“While appreciating the leadership of the Kingdom for demonstrating remarkable restraint in the current crisis, the prime minister reassured His Royal Highness that Pakistan would always stand by the Kingdom and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia, just as they had always supported Pakistan, through thick and thin,” the PMO stated.

It further said that the prime minister “reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed, once again, Pakistan’s complete solidarity and unequivocal support for the kingdom and its people, in these challenging times”.

The prime minister called for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to normalcy so that the regional situation could be stabilised. “He called for unity and harmony in the ranks of the Ummah, which was needed more than ever before,” PMO noted.

PM Shehbaz also briefed the Saudi crown prince on Pakistan’s “constructive diplomatic outreach to all parties urging de-escalation and resolution of differences through dialogue and diplomacy”.

“The crown prince deeply appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts. Both leaders agreed to maintain their close coordination between the two countries, at all levels,” the PMO said.

The premier conveyed his heartfelt Eidul Fitr greetings to the crown prince, to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia.

These sentiments were “most graciously reciprocated by” the crown prince, the PMO statement added.

PM Shehbaz also posted on social media platform X about their conversation.

Reiterating the details, he said: “Appreciating the Kingdom’s restraint, I stressed the urgent need for de-escalation, an end to hostilities, and unity in the ranks of the Ummah.”

He further said, “We agreed to remain in close coordination.”

Gulf countries — including Saudi Arabia — are facing Iranian attacks, which Tehran says are aimed at US and Israeli sites in response to the latter’s deadly large-scale strikes.

The conversation between the prime minister and the Saudi crown prince comes amid Pakistan’s intensified efforts to act as a mediator between the United States and Iran to end the ongoing war that has engulfed the Middle East.

On Tuesday, a day after a proposal was floated to hold Iran-US talks in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif formally pitched the federal capital as a potential venue for negotiations between Iranian and US officials.

The move followed reports that Pakistan, Turkiye and Egypt had talked the US out of attacking Iranian energy infrastructure — a move that many fear would mark a dangerous escalation in the already-deadly conflict raging in West Asia.

On March 9, PM Shehbaz held a “restricted meeting” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a statement by the PM’s spokesperson.

During the meeting, the prime minister expressed Pakistan’s “full solidarity and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in these challenging times”, and both leaders agreed to work together for regional peace and stability.