Prime Minister Imran Khan is expected to leave for Tehran today (Saturday) ahead of his trip to Riyadh as part of his efforts for mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Sources said that the Prime Minister is expected to leave for Iran today (Saturday) or on Sunday to hold talks with Iranian leadership following the latest escalation of tension in the Middle East where an Iranian oil tanker operated by National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) was hit by two missiles near the port city of Jeddah, in what Tehran calls a "dangerous adventure."

The Prime Minister's trip to Tehran was also confirmed by his Special Assistant Naeem-ul-Haq who in an informal chat with reporters on Friday said that the Prime Minister will visit Iran in a few days. He further said that Prime Minister Khan will hold meetings with Iranian leadership during his visit to the country.

Without giving further details, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal told his weekly media briefing on Thursday last that the Prime Minister's visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia is on the cards and details of the trip are being finalized.

The sources, however, said that the Prime Minister will have a night stay in Tehran and hold meeting with President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday to discuss the latest situation of the Middle East focusing on Saudi-Iran standoff. The Prime Minister is also expected to call on Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The visit comes at a time when Iranian media reported that two separate explosions, possibly caused by missile attacks, have hit an Iranian oil tanker operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). The incident took place some 60 miles from Jeddah early Friday, according to a statement by the NITC.

Prime Minister Khan's visit to Iran will be followed by his trip to Saudi Arabia where he will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to discuss the latest situation in the Middle East.

After meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of UN General Assembly session in New York last month, the Prime Minister had stated that President Trump had asked him to play a role in defusing tensions with Iran that escalated in the wake of September 14 attack on the world's largest oil processing plant of Saudi Arabia.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019