Pakistani government says U.S.-Iran deal to end war expected “sooner rather than later”

“We expect an agreement sooner rather than later,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday, echoing optimism voiced by President Trump on Wednesday.

A fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has largely held since April 8, but in-person talks between the two countries hosted by Pakistan last month failed to bring a wider agreement to end the war that started on Feb. 28 with a blistering wave of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

“We hope the parties will reach a peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our region but to international peace as well,” Andrabi said.

He declined to give a timeline, however.

“What I can tell you, and this is what I have stated before, that we remain positive, we remain optimistic, and we hope the settlement will be soon rather than later,” he said.

Asked whether Pakistan expected any response from Iran to the latest U.S. proposal by the end of the day, Andrabi said he would “not comment on specifics or the movement of the messages.”