TEHRAN – Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a Saturday phone call, commending Tehran’s “sincere and brotherly diplomacy” during Pakistan’s military standoff with India earlier this month.

Sharif specifically praised Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for his “timely diplomatic engagement” during a recent Islamabad visit. Araghchi headed to New Delhi after his short stay in Pakistan and delivered messages while there. The two countries announced a ceasefire after that on May 10, following 4 days of reciprocal airstrikes.

“This initiative marks a pivotal step toward regional stability,” the PM stated, adding that decades of hostilities, including three wars, had failed to address core disputes like Kashmir.

“Sustainable solutions demand dialogue, not bullets,” he emphasized.

President Pezeshkian welcomed the ceasefire, reiterating Iran’s stance: “War only deepens nations’ wounds. Dialogue is the sole path to peace.”

He reaffirmed Tehran’s readiness to facilitate Pakistan-India talks and strengthen regional counterterrorism collaboration, calling terrorism a “shared challenge requiring fraternal unity.”

Sharif proposed an upcoming visit to Tehran to discuss bilateral ties and regional security, a move welcomed by Pezeshkian, who expressed hope the trip would “elevate cooperation to new heights.”