The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio telephoned Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday to explore ways of supporting a lasting peace between Israel and Iran.
In a statement, the department said, “The two leaders recognized the importance of working together to support a lasting peace between Israel and Iran.” Secretary Rubio reiterated that Iran must never be allowed to develop or possess a nuclear weapon, according to news agencies.
Despite Pakistan’s condemnation of recent Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iran, the country had earlier signaled goodwill toward the U.S. by proposing President Donald Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for mediating a four-day conflict between Pakistan and India last month.
It is also noteworthy that a section of the Pakistani embassy in Washington represents Iranian interests in the United States, as Iran and the U.S. do not have formal diplomatic ties.
