Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a telephone conversation Tuesday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for an urgent return to diplomacy as tensions escalate across the Middle East following recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

According to Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as rapidly developing regional events.

Erdoğan stressed that renewed diplomatic engagement offers the most viable path to de-escalation and warned that continued military confrontation risks further destabilizing an already fragile region.

The call comes amid heightened tensions after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeted senior Iranian figures, dramatically increasing fears of wider conflict. Ankara has consistently advocated dialogue and political solutions in regional disputes, positioning itself as a potential mediator.

Condemnation of Attacks in Pakistan

During the conversation, Erdoğan condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan and reaffirmed Türkiye’s solidarity with Islamabad in its counterterrorism efforts. He underscored the close strategic partnership between the two countries and reiterated Ankara’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s security and stability.

Türkiye and Pakistan maintain strong diplomatic, economic, and defense ties, with regular high-level exchanges and cooperation across multiple sectors.

Support for Pakistan-Afghanistan Ceasefire

Erdoğan also addressed tensions along the Durand Line, the disputed Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier, expressing Türkiye’s readiness to assist in efforts to restore and maintain a ceasefire between the two neighbors.

Ankara has previously supported mediation and diplomatic engagement aimed at reducing violence along the Durand Line.

The leaders additionally reviewed broader regional developments and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Türkiye-Pakistan relations.

As instability spreads across the Middle East, Erdoğan’s outreach underscores Ankara’s diplomatic push to contain the crisis and prevent further escalation through dialogue rather than military confrontation.

Zalmay Khalilzad, former United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, has said he does not believe the people of Pakistan support policies that have resulted in the killing of Afghan civilians.

Referring to a recent report by the United Nations on civilian casualties, Khalilzad stated on X that the policies of Pakistan’s governing establishment should not be equated with the views of its population.

He added that, in his view, the gap between the Pakistani people and the country’s ruling structure appears to be widening.

His remarks come amid recent UN reports indicating a rise in Afghan civilian casualties following Pakistani regime airstrikes, further intensifying regional tensions.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed the postponement of all second-leg knockout matches in the West Region of its club competitions, extending an earlier decision to delay first-leg fixtures amid ongoing regional instability.

The governing body announced Tuesday that the second-leg matches originally scheduled between March 9 and 11, 2026, will be postponed until further notice. The affected fixtures include the Round of 16 second legs in the AFC Champions League Elite, as well as the quarter-final second legs in the AFC Champions League Two and the AFC Challenge League involving West Region clubs.

The move follows the AFC’s March 1 decision to postpone the first-leg knockout matches in the West Region, citing safety and security concerns.

The confederation stated that the wellbeing of players, officials, supporters and commercial partners remains its top priority. The AFC also stated that updated schedules will be announced in due course.

Teams Affected

In the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 (West Region), the postponed second legs involve leading clubs from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Uzbekistan, including:

• Al Hilal SFC (Saudi Arabia)
• Al Nassr FC (Saudi Arabia)
• Al Sadd SC (Qatar)
• Al Duhail SC (Qatar)
• Shabab Al Ahli (United Arab Emirates)
• Persepolis FC (Iran)
• Sepahan SC (Iran)
• Navbahor Namangan (Uzbekistan)

In the AFC Champions League Two and AFC Challenge League quarter-finals (West Region), postponed ties involve clubs such as:

• Al Kuwait SC (Kuwait)
• Al Wehdat SC (Jordan)
• Al Riffa SC (Bahrain)
• Istiklol Dushanbe (Tajikistan)

(Final match pairings are subject to AFC confirmation once new dates are set.)

The AFC Champions League Elite represents the top tier of Asian club football following the competition’s restructuring, while the AFC Champions League Two serves as the second-tier tournament.

The AFC Challenge League provides continental competition opportunities for emerging football nations.

The West Region encompasses clubs from West and Central Asia, while East Region teams — including clubs from Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, and Australia — remain unaffected.

The AFC confirmed that all East Region matches across its competitions will proceed as scheduled.