Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide on Thursday praised Pakistan for undertaking the “massive task” of mediating between the United States and Iran, saying the country’s leadership was “doing a service to the world” through its peace efforts.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Islamabad, Eide commended Pakistan’s role in efforts to de-escalate the conflict and facilitate a negotiated settlement between Washington and Tehran.
“I really want to commend Pakistan for the very important role it has taken in this very dramatic war that started on February 28 with the Israeli-US attack on Iran,” Eide said.
The Norwegian foreign minister acknowledged the difficulty of mediating between the two sides, describing Pakistan’s undertaking as a “massive task.”
“This peace mediation and facilitation, I know how hard it is. You are taking on a massive task that you offered during the Islamabad talks,” he said.
Eide specifically praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their involvement in the diplomatic initiative.
“I think Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and Ishaq Dar are really doing a service to the world,” he said.
Eide’s remarks came during his official visit to Pakistan, the first by a Norwegian foreign minister in a decade, as Islamabad and Oslo also seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation.