Pakistan's Sharif pledges continued mediation as Iranian president visits Islamabad

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Islamabad will continue to play its mediation role to achieve "everlasting" peace in the region.

"We will carry on this important role until everlasting peace is in place on terms and conditions dictated by dignity and honour," said Sharif after talks, alongside visiting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Islamabad.

Pezeshkian is visiting Pakistan, his first overseas trip since the US and Israel launched a war on Feb. 28, hitting Irianian cities and triggering retaliation by Tehran before fighting stopped April 8 when Pakistan secured a ceasefire.

Sharif offered his condolences for the loss of "thousands of precious lives," including the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the war, and conveyed "complete solidarity" with the Iranian people from Pakistanis.

Sharif also clarified that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Pezeshkian and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, did not mention the issue of Ballistic missiles.

"It was never on the table; it was never on the agenda," Sharif said.

"I want to make it clear. There cannot be double standards where some countries can have ballistic missiles and Iran shouldn't have. You cannot digest this kind of duplicity" said Sharif, explaining that Tehran never promised to discuss the ballistic missile issue in talks with the US.

The prime minister thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohamad bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for "fully" backing Islamabad's mediatory efforts to end the lingering war.

He also warned against sabotage by those who "are unhappy with this armistice."

Noting that Pakistan and Iran have always stood beside each other in testing times, Sharif said the two would work to bolster ties in trade, economy, investment and other sectors.

Sharif said he will visit Tehran next week and announced that a Pakistani delegation will attend Khamenei's funeral.