Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Tuesday held a detailed telephonic conversation with his Iranian counterpart Syed Abbas Araghchi and discussed a raft of issues including the volatile situation in Syria, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Both foreign ministers also dilated upon the latest situation in Syria specially after ouster of Bashar al-Assad regime.
According to Iranian news agency IRNA, the two foreign ministers discussed cooperation between the two neighbouring countries and ways to expand and strengthen it further.
According to a report by Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Ishaq Dar discussed and exchanged views with Abbas Araqchi on a number of bilateral and regional issues, including on the latest developments in Syria in a telephone call on Monday night.
During the conversation, the two sides also discussed the cooperation between the two countries and ways to expand and strengthen it.
The relations between Iran and Pakistan has witnessed growing trend in recent years as the two nations share a long border and are members of several regional economic blocs such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation.
The call came a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the authorities to formulate an action plan for the safe evacuation of Pakistanis wishing to return from Syria via neighbouring countries as soon as possible.
Chairing a meeting on Monday to review the current situation in Syria and the safe evacuation of Pakistanis from the country, PM Shehbaz said: “All possible steps should be taken to ensure the safe evacuation of Pakistanis from Syria.
“The safety of Pakistanis’ lives and property in Syria is our top priority,” the prime minister said while instructing officials to utilise all available resources for the purpose.
He also directed the Pakistan Embassy in Damascus to establish an information desk and a helpline to facilitate the Pakistanis.
The prime minister ordered that until the security situation improved, the FO CMU and information desks at Pakistani embassies in Syria and its neighbouring countries should remain operational round-the-clock.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials.
The prime minister later exchanged notes on the evolving situation in Syria with Lebanese PM Najib Mikati.
PM Shehbaz sought his counterpart’s personal intervention and support in facilitating the immediate evacuation of stranded Pakistani nationals through Beirut.
PM Mikati assured PM Shehbaz that Lebanon would fully welcome Pakistani nationals from Syria and extend all possible support to them in their safe return home.
Thereafter, PM Shehbaz spoke to Pakistan’s ambassadors in Syria and Lebanon and instructed them to extend all possible assistance and cooperation to the stranded Pakistanis and facilitate their safe return home.
Speaking later at an event, the premier said: “Around 200-250 Pakistani pilgrims are stranded in Damascus but the airport’s closed. They want to return to Pakistan as early as possible.”
He mentioned that the only way for Pakistani nationals to leave Syria was to cross over into Lebanon via a land route and then board a flight from Beirut airport.
“I spoke to the prime minister of Lebanon and he was more than forthcoming,” the prime minister said. “He said, ‘Let all these Pakistanis come to Beirut. We will facilitate them and whatever is possible, make their stay comfortable and they will be back home in Pakistan as early as possible.’”
UN Security Council convenes over situation in Syria
Members of the UN Security Council on Monday discussed the fluid situation in Syria after President Bashar al-Assad’s fall, opting to stand by and await further developments, according to ambassadors who attended the closed-door meeting.
"The Council, I think, was more or less united on the need to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to ensure the protection of civilians, to ensure that humanitarian aid is coming," Russian UN ambassador Vassili Nebenzia told reporters after the emergency meeting requested by Moscow.
Russia was a key ally of Assad, who was toppled by Islamist-led rebels over the weekend after a short and stunning offensive.
"But look, everyone was taken by surprise by the events, everyone, including the members of the council. So we have to wait," to see how the situation will evolve, he said.
Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood called it "a very fluid situation."
"No one expected the Syrian forces to fall like a house of cards," he continued.
"As many folks said in the consultations... the situation is extremely fluid and is likely to change day to day for the time being," Woods said.
However, Woods noted that "just about everyone spoke about the need for Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence to be respected, and concern about the humanitarian situation," indicating the council is working on a joint statement.
"The intention is for the council to speak with one voice on the situation in Syria," he said.
When asked about the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which led the rebel coalition which toppled Assad, and whether it would be removed from the UN sanctions list, both Nebenzia and Wood said the council has not yet broached the topic.
Since the Syrian civil war first broke out in 2011, the UNSC has largely been paralyzed in its response, with Russia consistently using its veto power to protect Assad's government.
Reporter: Anwer Abass/AFP