PM Shehbaz reaffirms solidarity in talks with MBS after Iran attack on Saudi energy facilities

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s “unwavering solidarity and support” with Saudi Arabia following Iran’s attack on a petrochemical complex in Jubail.

The call came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, following Iran’s earlier attack on a petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial city in the Eastern Province.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on X, PM Shehbaz held a telephone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the ongoing hostilities in the region.

“PM Shehbaz reaffirmed unwavering and unflinching solidarity and support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the wake of the ongoing attacks, and reiterated Pakistan’s condemnation of the attack on the Al Jubail oil facility earlier today,” the statement said.

It added that the prime minister assured the crown prince that the government would always stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the kingdom, just as Saudi Arabia had supported Pakistan through “thick and thin”.

The PMO said the prime minister also lauded the “wisdom and restraint” shown by the Saudi leadership during the ongoing crisis.

“Pakistan is working assiduously for the success of peace efforts in partnership with other countries,” the statement said.

Read More: Iran targets major Saudi petrochemical complex

It further stated that PM Shehbaz apprised the Saudi crown prince of the latest developments in Pakistan’s mediation efforts to de-escalate the Middle East crisis.

“The crown prince appreciated Pakistan’s peace efforts aimed at restoring stability in the region,” the statement added.

Later, PM Shehbaz repeated the same sentiment for Saudi Arabia in a post on X, as stated by the PMO in its statement.

Reacting to the attacks on Jubail ​industrial city, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs mourned the loss of life and strongly deplored the damage to vital infrastructure, while conveying its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirming solidarity with the government and people of Saudi Arabia during this difficult time.

It said that Pakistan considered these attacks “a serious violation of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a dangerous escalation that undermines regional peace and stability.”

Also Read: Pakistan condemns Iran attacks, expresses solidarity with Saudi Arabia

The military leadership, during the 274th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC), also strongly condemned the attacks, terming them an “unnecessary escalation” that threatened to spoil mediation efforts to bring the Mideast crisis to an end.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply after US and Israeli air strikes in February assassinated Iran’s then-supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials, triggering a wave of retaliation from Tehran and widening the conflict across the region.

In response to the strikes, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on US military bases in several Gulf countries, significantly expanding the scope of the confrontation.

Since then, Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator and ramped up its efforts to de-escalate tensions. Pakistan hosted a quadrilateral foreign ministers’ meeting in Islamabad, with representatives from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, that gained global attention and was widely praised for Pakistan’s efforts.