Saudi Arabia Backs Pakistan Mediation on Iran-US Standoff

(MENAFN) Saudi Arabia issued an urgent call Tuesday for all parties to exercise restraint and rally behind Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to broker a political resolution to the deepening standoff between Iran and the United States, as the Gulf region edges closer to broader instability.

In a statement published on X, the Saudi Foreign Ministry declared that the kingdom "calls for de-escalation, restraint, and support for Pakistani mediation and diplomatic efforts to reach a political solution that prevents the region from sliding into further tension and instability, which would not serve the interests of the region and the world."

Voicing alarm over what it termed the "current military escalation in the region," Riyadh's foreign ministry pressed for the full restoration of maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz to its pre-war status, adding that the kingdom "calls for ensuring the safe and secure passage of vessels without restriction."

The statement landed as tensions in the Gulf reached a new flashpoint on Monday. The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of firing 15 missiles and four drones onto its soil, while Tehran countered that it had launched warning shots after US destroyers operating in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz disregarded initial alert signals.

The current crisis has its roots in the joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, which triggered sweeping Iranian retaliation against Israel and US allies throughout the Gulf and prompted Tehran to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which a substantial portion of the world's energy supply passes daily.

A Pakistani-mediated ceasefire came into effect on April 8, but follow-on negotiations in Islamabad failed to yield a durable accord. US President Donald Trump subsequently extended the truce with no fixed expiration date.

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