Mecca: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday began talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also the prime minister of his country, at Al-Safa Palace in the holy city of Mecca, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing local media. According to Nam News Network, Sharif was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, as per Radio Pakistan. The discussions between Sharif and Prince Mohammed are anticipated to focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation, along with tackling regional and international developments. Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, with the visit primarily concentrating on bilateral cooperation and regional matters. Upon arrival, he was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah by Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, the deputy governor of the Mecca region. Earlier in the day, Sharif performed Umrah in Mecca, marking a significan t moment in his visit. This visit is part of Islamabad's ongoing mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran. In June, Qatar joined Pakistan in facilitating talks between the United States and Iran, which led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding on June 18. The negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement had stalled due to disagreements over maritime security and the freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. However, officials from Iran, Oman, and the US have recently indicated that progress is being made toward resolving the outstanding issues. In a related development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also arrived in Saudi Arabia for a one-day working visit on Friday. During his visit, Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Sharif. Details about the agenda of these meetings have not been disclosed. The visit comes on the heels of Pakistan's recent participation in a new Saudi-led Red Sea naval coalition. This coalition is aimed at securing the waters against attacks on shipping by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. In September last year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, further consolidating their defense ties.