PM Khan met the Saudi Crown Prince before flying to New York for the UNGA session. He has also met US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the UN Session.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said Tuesday Donald Trump had asked him to mediate with Iran to defuse tensions, though the US president later suggested it was Khan who approached him and nothing was final.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said, Tuesday, September 24, that U.S. President Donald Trump asked him to help defuse tensions with Iran and that he immediately went to speak with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Monday, September 23. (Reuters) pic.twitter.com/xNFxHjQjdh — The Voice of America (@VOANews) September 25, 2019

Khan met Trump and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of this week’s United Nations General Assembly, before which he visited Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia, whom he said had made the same request.

The leaders of France, Germany and Japan were all also meeting Rouhani and Trump at the UN in hopes of reviving diplomacy.

“Trump asked me that if we could de-escalate the situation and maybe come up with another deal,” Khan told reporters at the gathering of world leaders in New York. “Yes, we did convey this, and yes, we’re trying our best,” he said.

“I immediately spoke to President Rouhani yesterday after the meeting with President Trump. I can’t say anything right now more than this, except that we’re trying and mediating,” he added.

Read more: Iran-India nexus: Pakistan must adopt a no-nonsense approach

In Saudi Arabia, which was hit earlier this month by attacks on its oil infrastructure blamed on Iran, the crown prince “also asked me to talk to the Iranian president,” Khan said.

Speculation has been rife about a possible face-to-face between Trump and Rouhani on the sidelines of the general assembly, with France’s Emmanuel Macron trying to broker what would be a historic meeting.

At a separate briefing to reporters where Trump spoke on Iran, he said: “They would like to negotiate. It certainly makes sense but we haven’t agreed to that yet.” Asked about Macron’s involvement, he responded: “He’s also talking to us, a number of people are.

Pakistan traditionally has strong relations with Saudi Arabia but also maintains ties with Iran, with Islamabad representing Tehran’s consular interests in the United States.

“So is Prime Minster Khan of Pakistan. A lot of people, Chancellor Merkel just now, Chancellor Merkel, and she’s very much involved, we have a lot of people involved. A lot of people would like to get us to the table.”

Iran and Pakistan on the sidelines of the #UNGA have agreed to implement agreements made during Imran Khan's recent visit to Iran. Iranian President Rouhani in his meeting with @ImranKhanPTI stated Iran is determined to maintain good and constructive ties with Pakistan. #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/M134iXpK2I — Emerging Pakistan (@dev9_) September 24, 2019

But pressed on whether he had asked Khan to get involved, Trump said: “Well, he’d like to do that and we have a very good relationship and there’s a chance that that could happen.

“But no I haven’t spoken — he actually asked me, he thought it would be a good idea to meet and we’re here, we’re in New York together and we have the time to do it, although we’ve done a lot of bilats in the last two days.”

Read more: Under threat Iran’s FM to visit Pakistan

Pakistan traditionally has strong relations with Saudi Arabia but also maintains ties with Iran, with Islamabad representing Tehran’s consular interests in the United States in the absence of diplomatic relations.

The leaders of France, Germany and Japan were all also meeting Rouhani and Trump at the UN in hopes of reviving diplomacy.

AFP with additional input by GVS News Desk.