According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is also accompanying the prime minister on the visit.

Pakistan has stepped up diplomatic efforts after the war in Iran — triggered by US and Israeli attacks that killed Iran’s supreme leader and plunged the region into conflict. In recent days, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar have been in contact with leaders from Middle Eastern and Gulf countries in an effort to help reduce regional tensions.

Iran has retaliated by targeting US bases and other sites in Gulf nations, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Tehran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route for oil, which has sharply driven up global oil prices. Iranian officials have warned that crude oil could reach $200 per barrel.

Amid rising tensions, Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir held a meeting last week with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. The meeting focused on Iranian attacks on Saudi territory and took place within the framework of the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in September last year. The agreement treats an attack on either country as an act of aggression against both nations.

In a statement posted on X, Prince Khalid bin Salman said the discussions focused on ways to halt attacks that threaten the security and stability of the region. He expressed hope that Iran would act with wisdom and avoid further escalation.

Saudi Arabia has also reported intercepting drones targeting its oil infrastructure. On Thursday, the Saudi defence ministry said two drones headed toward the Shaybah oil field were intercepted and destroyed. A day earlier, Saudi authorities confirmed they had foiled several similar drone attacks against the same facility, which is vital to the kingdom’s oil production.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s spokesperson for Foreign Media Mohsarraf Zaidi said in an interview with Bloomberg TV that Pakistan would stand by Saudi Arabia under all circumstances.

Despite the tensions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed regret over strikes in neighbouring countries, though Tehran maintains it will continue targeting locations used to launch attacks against Iran.

Zaidi emphasized that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have always supported each other, noting that both countries operate on the principle of standing by one another in times of crisis.