Pakistan PM says Trump asked him to mediate with Iran

At a meeting with Trump in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly, the US president asked Imran Khan for help as the latter was going to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani later in the day.

New York:Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he is working to help defuse the tensions in the Gulf at the request of both US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

At a meeting with Trump in New York on Monday on the sidelines of the General Assembly, Trump asked him for help as Khan was going to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani later in the day, Khan told reporters on Tuesday at UN headquarters.

Before his meeting with Trump, Khan had been in Saudi Arabia and met with bin Salman, who also asked him to talk to Rouhani.

"I spoke to Prince Mohammad bin Salman and he also asked me to talk to the Iranian president. He knew I was meeting him," said Khan.

"Also President Trump asked me that if we could de-escalate the situation and maybe come up with another deal. So I did convey this and, yes, we are trying our best."

"I immediately spoke to President Rouhani yesterday, after the meeting with President Trump, but right now I can't say anything more than this except that we are trying and mediating," he said.

"I am hoping that there is no conflict. I do not believe that conflicts resolve anything," he added.