Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has arrived in Tehran on a mission to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia to ease tensions in the Middle East.
The Pakistani Tribune newspaper quoted Pakistani government sources as saying Khan's visit was preceded by an important secret visit by a high-ranking Pakistani official to both countries late last month.
The Pakistani official, during a visit to the two capitals, held talks with Iranian authorities and Saudi Arabia to help defuse tensions.
The newspaper said that Imran Khan decided to visit Tehran and Riyadh, after Pakistani officials found a response from both sides to efforts to find a solution to the conflict between them.
Iranian welcome
Prime Minister Imran Khan is in Tehran today for talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a move welcomed by Iran.
Khan is accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Assistant Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari.
The newspaper quotes Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying that Iran welcomes the efforts of mediators to arrange talks with Saudi Arabia, including the talks of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Foreign Ministry in Tehran said the country was "always ready to talk to its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia."