ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday discussed the regional situation in the Middle East with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

In a statement, the FO said that the two leaders “discussed the evolving regional situation and exch­anged views on its wider economic implications”.

Mr Dar underscored Pakistan’s “continued efforts to promote constructive engagement and diplomacy in support of peace and stability in the region and beyond”.

“Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah commended Pakistan’s sincere efforts aimed at fostering lasting peace and security for the Ummah as well as the wider international community,” the FO statement noted.

Both sides reaffirmed the strong fraternal ties between Pakistan and Kuwait and agreed to remain in close contact, it said.

Mr Dar’s call with his Kuwaiti counterpart comes amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz — a key shipping route in paralysis since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. The US Navy has claimed a complete blockade of the strait in response to Iran re-imposing its control over the key waterway.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Thursday that the escalating crisis in Strait of Hormuz could push tens of millions into poverty, trigger a surge in global hunger and even tip the world toward recession.

Negotiations between the US and Iran remain stalled, with both holding firm positions even as a fragile ceasefire continues.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2026