ISLAMABAD, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan said on Thursday that it is continuing diplomatic efforts to help ease tensions between the United States and Iran, urging both sides to return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as negotiations continue.
"The negotiations between the parties are ongoing to normalize the situation, particularly the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, and to de-escalate," Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi told a weekly media briefing.
He said Pakistan was doing its "utmost" to bring the two sides back to the Islamabad MoU so that "all irritants can be removed" in line with its spirit and the Pakistan-Qatar joint statement.
The spokesperson said the security situation in the Gulf remained "precarious" despite a relative calm in recent days, adding that Pakistan believes dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path forward.
He said Pakistan welcomed efforts to sustain the cessation of hostilities and resume dialogue between Iran and the United States, adding that Islamabad would continue to play its role in promoting regional peace and stability.
Andrabi also said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud recently agreed to work closely to maintain regional peace and ensure the uninterrupted flow of lawful maritime commerce through the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. ■
