Shehbaz Sharif's Diplomatic Visit for US-Iran Talks

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan commenced a diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey from April 15 to April 18, 2026. This visit is part of Islamabad's efforts to engage in a second round of US-Iran peace talks following the first face-to-face discussions in a decade.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced that Sharif will participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and hold bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The backdrop of this diplomatic blitz is the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which escalated after the United States and Israel attacked Iran, prompting Iranian retaliation against US allies in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Amidst these tensions, US President Donald Trump indicated that negotiations would resume, while a fragile ceasefire remains in place. Additionally, during this visit, Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced that Saudi Arabia would provide $3 billion to bolster Pakistan's foreign reserves, extending an existing $5 billion deposit for an unspecified period.