Deescalation: Pakistan, allies close ranks

Pakistan and three key regional powers closed ranks on Saturday, reaffirming a coordinated diplomatic push to manage escalating Middle East tensions, as their foreign ministers met on the sidelines of a major international forum. According to the Foreign Office, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2026. The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts to prevent further escalation in the US-Israel-Iran conflict and to sustain a fragile ceasefire set to expire on April 22. The FO said the four ministers "exchanged views on evolving regional dynamics, reaffirming the vital role of dialogue and diplomacy in promoting peace, stability and shared prosperity". "The foreign ministers expressed a shared commitment to advancing this partnership, deepening coordination and expanding collaboration across key areas of mutual interest". The engagement follows two earlier rounds of consultations among the same countries, first in Riyadh on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting, and later in Islamabad, both aimed at halting the war. Islamabad has since intensified diplomatic efforts, including hosting direct Iran-US talks on April 11, the highest-level engagement between the two sides since 1979. While the talks ended without an agreement, they did not collapse, and reports suggest a second round may take place in Islamabad in the coming week. Egypt's foreign minister said Cairo was working closely with Islamabad on a framework to secure a lasting settleYEHI HAment between Washington and Tehran. He said Egypt, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were coordinating a broader regional initiative to prevent renewed escalation and shape a post-war security arrangement, with particular emphasis on safeguarding Gulf states.