Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for Saudi Arabia on Thursday to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discuss rising Middle East tensions following the US Israel war on Iran. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is accompanying the premier during the visit aimed at addressing the worsening regional security situation. Pakistan has stepped up diplomatic engagement after Iran came under large scale attacks by the United States and Israel triggering a wider regional crisis. In response Iran has targeted American bases and launched strikes toward Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Tehran has also closed the vital Strait of Hormuz sending global oil prices sharply higher and warning markets that crude could surge to 200 dollars a barrel. Meanwhile Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held talks last week with Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman on regional security under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between the two countries. Saudi Arabia says its air defences also intercepted two drones heading toward the Shaybah Oil Field as Iran continues targeting key energy infrastructure across the region,
