In a remarkable diplomatic development, the crisis in the Middle East is witnessing intensive movements on more than one track, amid mixed indications that Washington and Tehran are close to a possible agreement.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that his country was ready to host the next round of peace talks between Iran and the United States “very soon” after the two sides negotiated the main outlines of a proposed agreement.
Sharif said in a post on social media Sunday morning, “Pakistan will continue its efforts to achieve peace with the utmost sincerity, and we hope to host the next round of talks very soon.” He also congratulated US President Donald Trump for his “extraordinary efforts to advance peace.”
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that “significant progress” had been made in negotiations between the United States and Iran, raising hopes for a positive and lasting outcome.
In an interview with CBS News, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States and Iran are “much closer” to reaching an agreement to end the war in the region, while warning that failure to reach an agreement “will have severe consequences,” and considering that the chances of reaching a “good” agreement or returning to war appear “equal.”
Trump said an agreement with Iran, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, was “largely negotiated,” following contacts he made with Israel and other US allies in the region.
Trump said on social media: “The final aspects and details of the agreement are currently being discussed and will be announced soon,” without providing details on the timing. He stated that he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, and separately with Israel.
He described it as a “peace memorandum of understanding” that still needs to be finalized by the United States, Iran and the other countries that participated in Saturday’s talks.
There was no mention of Iran’s nuclear program and highly enriched uranium, which Iran sought to discuss later.
In the same vein, the Associated Press, citing officials, reported that the two sides are nearing an agreement on a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, with a final decision expected within 48 hours. CNN, meanwhile, quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying that the stalemate in negotiations has ended, indicating tangible progress in the negotiating process. Conversely, Axios reported that the chances of reaching an agreement or sliding into military escalation remain equal.
Diplomatically, international contacts intensified to support the path of de-escalation, as diplomatic sources reported that French President Emmanuel Macron made contacts with his American counterpart and the leaders of the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, stressing Paris’ support for a negotiated solution, with a focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz without fees, consolidating the ceasefire, and then moving on to the nuclear, missile and regional issues.
Meanwhile, concerns are mounting in Israel, where Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called an urgent meeting of the heads of the governing coalition tonight, without disclosing its agenda.
In the same context, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, made a call to Trump during which he stressed the need to “prioritize peaceful solutions,” in light of increasing regional and international diplomatic moves to contain the crisis and prevent it from sliding into a wider confrontation.
Earlier on Saturday, Tehran said it sensed a “tendency toward rapprochement” with the United States regarding reaching an agreement, while stressing that any mechanism related to the Strait of Hormuz must be done with the agreement of Iran, the Sultanate of Oman, and the countries bordering the strait, considering that Washington “has no business” with this issue.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei told state television that Tehran had detected a “tendency toward rapprochement” after weeks of bilateral talks with the United States, noting that this rapprochement “does not necessarily mean reaching an understanding on important issues,” but rather aims to reach a “mutually acceptable settlement.”
The nuclear issue is not part of the framework agreement.
Baqaei explained that the current stage of negotiations does not include details of the nuclear file or the sanctions, stressing that the demand to lift the sanctions represents a firm position for Iran, and that the discussion of the nuclear file will come after reaching an understanding with Washington.
He added that the issue of releasing frozen Iranian assets is currently on the table for discussion, noting that the 14-point Iranian proposal submitted to the United States includes references to nuclear issues and to the release of frozen funds.
Baqai pointed out that determining whether the nuclear file discussion will begin within 30 or 60 days is linked to the next stages of the negotiations, explaining that Pakistan is the official mediator in the talks, while Qatar is also trying to help facilitate them.
"Productive talks"
In a related development, a Pakistani security official who was briefed on the Pakistani army chief’s visit to Tehran and his meetings with Iranian leaders said that a “memorandum of understanding is being finalized” to end the war between the United States and Iran, noting “significant progress” on the points of discussion mediated by Islamabad, without disclosing further details.
Earlier, Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir held separate talks in Iran with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.
The Pakistani military said on Saturday that Munir's talks in Tehran were "very fruitful," adding in a statement that negotiations over the past 24 hours had resulted in "encouraging progress" towards reaching a final understanding to end the war.
Pakistan is leading mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran to end the war that began on February 28, with attacks launched by the United States and Israel on Iran, before a temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8.
Lebanon in the agreement
In a related political development, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi delivered a message to Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, affirming that Tehran insists on including Lebanon in any comprehensive ceasefire and will not abandon its support for the party. Araqchi stated that "the Islamic Republic will not relinquish its support for movements demanding rights and freedom, foremost among them Hezbollah, until the very last moment," adding that the Iranian proposals, conveyed through Pakistani mediation, included linking a ceasefire in Lebanon to any broader settlement.
The message, according to the statement, affirmed that including Lebanon in any ceasefire agreement represents a “consistent principle” for Tehran since the start of regional mediation efforts.
The war left more than 3,000 dead in Iran, while Tehran launched attacks on Israel and Arab countries that resulted in American and Israeli deaths, before a ceasefire was reached.
Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz and preventing ships from passing through except in coordination with it, amid fears that the truce in place since April 8 could collapse if an agreement to end the war is not reached.
Since April 13, the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, including those located on the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global energy supplies, due to the breakdown of negotiations with Tehran mediated by Pakistan.
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