Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on Saturday reviewed progress in ongoing United States-Iran talks for a deal to end their war and expressed optimism that it would lead to lasting peace in the Middle East, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
Peace Deal Nearing Finalization
The statement came shortly after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government has mediated between Iran and the US, said that a peace deal to end the US-Iran war would “likely” be finalized within 24 hours, adding that Pakistan was preparing to electronically sign the document. Both Washington and Tehran have signalled in recent days they were nearing an agreement after weeks of stalled negotiations on the terms for an initial memorandum of understanding.
Pakistan’s Diplomatic Push
Pakistan has led a diplomatic push to end the war which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late Feb. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a telephonic conversation on Saturday, during which they welcomed the US–Iran negotiations reaching their “final stage.”
“They welcomed the US–Iran negotiations in their final stage, signing ceremony scheduled for tomorrow, and expressed the hope that this important development will contribute to lasting peace and stability in the region,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said. “The Saudi Foreign Minister appreciated Pakistan’s consistent and sustained efforts in support of mediation and dialogue throughout the process.”
Qatar’s Support
Separately, Sharif said he spoke with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and conveyed his appreciation for Qatar’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s peace efforts throughout the crisis. “We exchanged views on the latest developments regarding the landmark peace deal,” Sharif said on X. “We remain hopeful that this historic endeavour would lay a strong foundation for lasting peace and stability across the region.”
Momentum Builds for Deal
Momentum for a deal to end the Iran war appeared to grow Saturday as key mediator Pakistan said an agreement was closer than “ever before” and US President Donald Trump was expected to discuss demining the Strait of Hormuz during next week’s Group of Seven summit. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X on Friday that an agreement “has never been closer.” Trump, who has asserted multiple times in recent weeks the countries were on the cusp of a deal, shared Araghchi’s post on social media.
“Although it will not happen tomorrow, the possibility that it could take place in the coming days cannot be ruled out,” foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a statement carried by state TV on Saturday. Baghaei added that the Islamabad memorandum under discussion was focused on ending the war and “at this stage, it has been decided that there will be no discussion of the nuclear issue.”
Nuclear Issue Set Aside
Iran’s nuclear program and highly enriched uranium have long been at the center of tensions with the US and Israel. Three regional officials said Friday on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations that they expected a signing ceremony in the coming days after officials in Washington and Tehran approve the agreement. The apparent breakthrough came after Iran exchanged fire with the US and Israel earlier in the week, threatening to rupture the ceasefire and push the Middle East back into the war.
