Pak to persuade Iran to reconcile with Saudi

TIL Desk/World/Islamabad/ Pakistan has launched a diplomatic initiative to convince Iran to join the Saudi Arabia led 41-nation Islamic Military Alliance and bring about a rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh. The reports said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has given a special task to Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf, a close confidante of the premier.

According to the report, the Attorney General is also scheduled to travel to Tehran in the coming days as part of quiet diplomacy to ensure that Pakistan’s relations with Iran are not affected by the decision on the Saudi alliance, which is being led by former Pakistan Army Chief Gen. (Retd.) Raheel Sharif.

Last month, Ausaf also travelled to Riyadh where he held a series of meetings including with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss the issue. “We are trying to facilitate some kind of rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” said an official familiar with the development. He conceded, however, that bringing the Middle Eastern rivals on the same page “is a daunting task indeed,” adding that tension free ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia would make Pakistan’s job a lot easier.