Ceasefire: Pakistan invites US, Iran for talks in Islamabad

Pakistan has invited the United States and Iran for talks in Islamabad on Friday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a social media post on Wednesday announced that the US and Iran, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

"With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere, including Lebanon and elsewhere, effective immediately," he said.

Sharif said Pakistan has invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad on April 10 for face-to-face talks aimed at reaching a conclusive agreement "to settle all disputes".

The Prime Minister expressed hope that the proposed "Islamabad talks" would help achieve sustainable peace and stability in the region.

Following this, US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz," the US President said in a social media post.

"I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks," Trump said, adding that this will be a double-sided ceasefire.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it had accepted the ceasefire and that it would negotiate with the United States in Pakistan beginning Friday.

Diplomatic efforts

The development follows Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict that began on February 28 and had reached a turning point after Trump warned that America would obliterate Iranian civilisation.

Sharif, in an earlier post on X around midnight, urged diplomatic efforts to settle the issue.

"Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in the near future. To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks," he had said.